Shot in the Dark: One-Shot Collection
by Morphme
Summary: This is a collection of one-shots about Kimberly and Tommy suggested by readers. Feel free to read and message me with your own suggestions!
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Here we are! The first one of the one shots. It's set during Head Above Water so if you haven't read that, you might wanna hop on over. Suggestion credit goes to HighffelFlower (Or Marci if you're me lol) I'll be picking number two shortly so keep suggesting. :)

As always, I own nothing Power Rangers. Well, rights wise. I have a HUGE merch collection.

Enjoy!

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**Head Above Water – One Shot**

_**Kimberly**_

The wind was beginning to pick up as dark clouds rolled in over head, the inky blue color streaking across the white clouds like water color on a canvas. They were heavy with rain, threatening to fall any moment now. A roll of thunder boomed off into the distance and the air was rising in temperature at a steady rate. A storm was coming, one that had the capability to be a whollap of one. Not that it was anything out of the ordinary for California to get thunderstorms during the autumn. It happened quite frequently, really. Especially when the warm air from the ocean came in and met with the cooler air from the north. Some of the most brilliant and devastating storms that have happened came during those period. Coming with winds strong enough to knock over trees and enough rain to flood entire towns. This storm wasn't going to be that powerful though. You could feel the electricity building in the air but it wasn't meant to be a life changing or alternating storm. Rather, it was just a little blip on a radar map somewhere. Meteorologists were problem warning people of lightening but reassuring their viewers it would be a storm that would blow out just as quickly as it blew in.

From my perch on the balcony, I could see lightning strike the surface of the water out at sea. It was bright enough to light up the whole sky as dust faded into the evening hours. Leaning forward, I rests my hands on the metal railing in front of me. I could hear the rolling thunder mixing with the hushed sounds of the waves crashing on the sandy beach below. Vacationers had left the shore now, choosing to go as the sky was first starting to get dark. I could see boats rocking in the marina on the right side of the bay, their tied sails tucked in to ensure they wouldn't be going anywhere. Lights were beginning to turn on at the hotel that was next to mine, the floors illuminating as each room became fall. On the way here, I had noticed the sign out front had said no vacancy, meaning each window of the build might be lit up if I stood out here long enough. Our hotel, the Ramada of Beverly Hills, was also filled for the night, not a vacant room to be had. And I could tell that was true by the amount of people that had been present in the bar area where I had just left. A spark of anger filled my chest and I shook my head, trying to shake the feeling. I had no right to be angry. I knew this. I had repeated it seventy times on way here from the bottom floor over the course of the elevator ride. But, I couldn't help it. I was pissed.

Cause someone had stood me up.

When you tell someone to meet you somewhere, it's a general rule of thumb that you stick with the plan. And if not, you let the person know. You don't let them sit around in a bar of a hotel, searching the room every few minutes in hopes of seeing you sweep in the room. That they might spot your long brown hair, kept up in it's ponytail, somewhere in the doorway. So that they don't have to put up with sleazy guys trying to hit on them while you are running late. Or in my case, not showing up at all. I never thought a phone call or text message could be so difficult to complete but fuck me, right? Sighing, I tilted my head so I could look up at the sky. Now and then, a stray rain drop would fall. I could hear them hitting the windows on either side of the balcony as they did. The storm was coming, the raining holding on by the skin of it's teeth from pouring down.  
What did I really expect anyway? That he was just going to roll in here? I'm sure he has a million and one things going on right now. He had seemed so busy earlier when I had seen him, trying to speak to everyone who had shown up. He looked flustered to, like he would rather be anywhere else in the world right then than dealing with all the shit on his plate. I didn't blame him for that. I did blame him for not trying to contact me at least. I can take a hint though. This was something I had been expecting, especially after he called me that night in February. This had been a long time coming and I should be more prepared for it than I was right now. It was something that made me upset with not only the situation but also myself. I was better than this. I was better than holding on to something I knew was only going to hurt one of us or both of us in the end. Most people knew how to move on with their lives after stuff like that happens. Not me apparently. And most people can understand when something is done, it's done. Still not me. I must be the only person on this planet that wasn't quite understanding the message that the universe was trying to send me. It was a simple one but still one that I could quite grasp.  
Tommy is getting married tomorrow. And not to me.

It wasn't a surprise to me when he called after a weekend trip with me to Houston for Valentine's Day (and my birthday) that him and Kat had gotten into a fight. It was something that happened frequently after he would go away, her not liking that all his attention wasn't directly focused on her. I was surprised, however, to hear that they ended the fight by saying they were going to get married. That was the last thing I expected to hear out of his mouth. They were going to get married? Good thing the first thing he did was call his ex-girlfriend he was hiding an affair of multiple years with to tell her the good news! I was mortified but I could tell he didn't sound exactly thrilled either. And the next time I saw him in person, he avoided the topic like the plague. He only brought up the topic of me being invited and that he would save a room from the hotel block they had just for me. Gee, thanks.

Sure enough, my invitation came in the mail sometime in May and I assured him that I would be making the trip back here to California. I was hoping it would be a small event with just our group of friends, something I could pretend was just a normal get together. Of course not, though. Kat and her parents spared no expense in planning a huge ass wedding here in Beverly Hills. So now, I had to face this with a group of five hundred people around me. I had even done the math to see if it was humanly possible (and healthy) to remain intoxicated the entire time I was here in town. It is but apparently, it's frowned upon in modern medicine. I knew I should have stayed back in the Old West version of Angel Grove when I had the chance. At least then, there was no ancestors of this blonde Australian bitch. I know I'm not being fair to Kat. She didn't do anything wrong but love Tommy, a crime that was no worse than me. I was the one who was helping him cheat on her. This was something far worse than anything she's ever done, including when she was under Rita's spell. I was mad at Tommy, not her. She was just the easier target in my mind to be upset with.

The thunder boomed louder now, the railing vibrating in my hand as it echoed around the buildings. The lightning was also coming closer, telling me that it was time to get off the balcony on the 15th floor. It would be my luck to get electrocuted. Would that mean I wouldn't have to go tomorrow? It would be almost tempting to try if that were the case. Instead, I stood up straight and took a deep breath of the sea salt filled air before heading through the sliding door into my hotel room. I left it open, enjoying the cool breeze it brought with it. The hotel room was nice, something you would expect from a Ramada. The walls were painted a beige color with black accents and canvases with ink paintings on them above the king sized bed. The frame was black, matching the dresser across from it. A flat screen television was perched on top of that, the screen on but no sound coming from it. I couldn't stand noise right now. It was getting on my nerves, my body on edge. Crossing my arms, I sat on the edge of the bed and willed myself to let the bad feelings go. It wasn't working as well as one would hope. Instead, it changed from anger to an emptiness. Don't forget to add the touch of sadness that was there as well.

As tears welled in my eyes, there was a knock on my door. I groaned, knowing it was more than likely Jason or Trini. They were staying in a room here as well, someone on the 10th floor. They had offered to hangout with me for a while tonight, an invite I had turned down because Tommy had sworn to me that he was going to be coming back here after helping Kat's parents do some final touches at the church. I sometimes wished that the two of them knew about the affair so I had someone I could bitch about it to. I knew what they would say if they did know though. First, Jason would say something along the lines of it not being right and that Tommy needed to decide which one he wanted to be with. Then Trini would tell me that she understood why it was happening but not why I was letting it happen. I could read the two of them like a book. They would be right, of course. Tommy and I just both agreed we didn't want to hear it. Besides, it would put a label on whatever was going on between us and God forbid that were to happen.

"Coming." I called as the person knocked again. Standing up from the bed, I dabbed at my eyes with the back of my hand. Walking over, I grabbed the door knob and twisted it. The heavy door pulled open about three inches before a hand appeared, quickly pushing it open just enough for a person to slip in. I stepped back, surprised, at the sudden intruder in my room. My surprise went away as I realized it was Tommy. He pushed the door shut behind him, looking through the peephole.

"Kat's aunt is in the room four doors down from here. I thought I saw her heading to the elevator. Just want to make sure she didn't see me." He said, not glancing over his shoulder at me. I rolled my eyes, walking back over towards the balcony door. The rain was falling now, pelting the windows with water. The wind was whipping the curtains, them dancing in the air like it was their jobs. I watched him for a moment until he pushed off the door and smiled over at me. His long hair was slightly wet, pieces of it sticking to his face and neck. He had lost the nice suit he had been wearing earlier, sporting a green hoodie and khaki shorts. I supposed the hoodie was in hopes of hiding who he was. It might work better if he didn't wear one of the colors that everyone he knew him knew he wore. It was a good thing he's pretty.

"You didn't have to come, you know." I said, crossing my arms. "I know you have a lot of things going on before tomorrow. I'd understand." Tommy shook his head, tucking his hands into his pockets as he walked over to me.

"This is the only place I've actually wanted to be in the last 48 hours." Leaning in, he gave me a peck on the lips. "I'm sorry I missed you down at the bar. I was trying to get away but Kat's father kept going on and on about tomorrow. I tried to call your room but you must have been downstairs. I hope you're not too upset with me." Pulling his hands from his pockets, he ran them down my arms.

"Not as much as I was when you first walked in." I admitted, shrugging my shoulders.

"I deserve it. There's gotta be some way I can make it up to you." He pulled me in closer, giving me a suggestive smile.

"You sure about that? I don't want to throw you off your game before tomorrow. I mean, you are getting married in the morning."

"How about we don't talk about that? How about we focus on the two of us in this room for the next 12 hours? Cause right now, that's all that matters to me." He cupped my left cheek in his hand, running his thumb over my cheek bone. "Deal?"

"I think I can live with that." I whispered, gazing up at him. I reached up and grasped the front of his hoodie in my hands and pulled him down until our mouths met. His hands slid from my arms to my waist where he lifted me off the ground. I instinctively wrapped my legs around his hips, releasing his hoodie and gripping his shoulders. Our lips moved aggressively against each other, our tongues having a battle of wills as well. He gravitated towards the bed, his legs hitting the side of it and sending us falling back onto the mattress. The impact forced our kiss apart and Tommy took the moment to slide my little black dress off of my shoulders and down my body, leaving me in just a pair of light pink thongs. He let out a hiss as he looked down at me.

"No bra? Are you out to kill me today, Beautiful?" He whispered, lowering himself down so he was between my breasts. He left a trail of kisses there, his tongue tracing the area after words. My back arched as his teeth latched onto my right nipple, his tongue gliding across it from inside his mouth. He fondled the other with his hand, pinching the bud between his thumb and pointer finger. My fingers snaked their way into his hair as soft moans emitted from my mouth. My head pulled backward, my eyes closing as my entire body focused on what he was doing.

_ This will be the last time he touches you._

My eyes popped open at the thought. Tommy continued to trail down my body, his hands sliding between my thighs. I moaned, my eyes closing again. An imagine of him doing the same thing to Kat tomorrow night came to mind. On their wedding night. Tommy was getting married tomorrow to someone that wasn't me.

"Stop." I said, propping myself up. I put my hands on his shoulders and pushed him away. I slid until I was off the bed, my arms wrapped around my chest. Tommy looked at me confused from his kneeling position on the floor at the foot of the bed.

"Kim? You okay?" He asked, pushing himself off the floor. I shook my head.

"I can't do this." I whispered. "I thought I could but I can't." Tears welled in my eyes as I looked over at him. "You're getting married tomorrow, Tommy. It's not right." _Tell him. Tell him you love him. Tell him not to marry her_. "You should go home and get some sleep. It'll be a long day if not." He gave me a look as if I had said something ridiculous.

"I'm not leaving you here. Listen, if you don't want to do this, we don't have to. But I'm not going to go if you're upset. Here." He reached over and grabbed one of the robes from the bathroom door, holding it out to me. I took it and shrugged it on, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. He motioned me to sit, placing a hand on the small of my back. I sat on the edge of the bed, the tears beginning to dry.

"Do you ever imagine what our wedding would have been like?" I whispered, not looking at him.

"Yeah. Sometimes." He admitted, sitting next to me. "Do you?"

"I guess. Especially if I have a few drinks in me." I nudged his shoulder with mine. "I always pictured it would be this little thing at either the park or the country clue. I'd wear white and everyone else would wear their colors. And mostly just the guys and our families would be there. Nothing too fancy. Just nice and simple."

"Me too." He replied. "I think there would have to be quite a bit of pink and green incorporated in there somehow too."

"Well, duh." I sighed. Finally, I turned to look at him. "Is this the last time I'm going to see you like this?" He shifted his face away from mine, gazing down at his hands in his lap.

_**Tommy**_

_Tell her about the baby_. It was the first thought in my mind when she asked me that question. It would explain to her why I couldn't see her anymore. Why I was actually going through with this entirely stupid wedding idea. If I just told her, she would see that it wasn't because I was more in love with Kat than her. I couldn't though. No matter how hard I wanted to form the words, my lips would let me. I let out a shallow breath, looking away from her.

"I'm not sure about that. I mean, it will be harder for me to get away with Kat being my wife…" I trailed off, finally turning to look up at her. "Kim, I can leave if you want me to." In her eyes, I saw she was fighting with something. It resembled pain and my chest felt hollow at the thought that it was me causing it. She shook her head, a smile coming to her lips.

"I guess we better make the best of this then, right?" She stood up from the bed and took a few steps until she was standing directly in front of me. I gazed up at her, watching as she shrugged the robe off of her shoulders. It cascaded in a heap to the floor, leaving her mostly naked in front of me. She came even closer, her legs straddling mine until she was perched on the bed with her knees. A husky darkness covered her features when her eyes met mine and she bent down to kiss me. It started as sweet at first but grew with more fever, her fingers getting lost in my hair. I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her against me the most I could. How was I supposed to just let this woman walk out of my life after tonight was done? How was I going to just forget about her? It hasn't worked yet, based on previous experience. I'm not quite sure why I thought it would ever work.

Kim shifted, reaching between us and pulling my hoodie up and over my head. She took the wife beater I had been wearing as well with it, discarding both to the floor. Resting both her hands on my shoulders, she returned her lips to mine in the same energy filled kiss that I could only describe as needing. For a moment, I wondered if she needed to be with me as much as I needed to be with her. Could it be possible? Was I making a mistake by marrying Katherine tomorrow? What about the baby? If I left Kat for Kim, it would be setting a bad example. It would show my unborn baby that they weren't my first priority when that wasn't the case. Was it?

"Stand up." She breathed, suddenly pulling her lips from mine. She pushed off of me, standing on her feet. I did as she said, pulling myself to my feet. She moved forward, dropping to her knees in front of me. Her eyes met mine as she undid the fly of my khakis, pulling them down my legs. I stepped out of them, her leaving my boxers on my waist. Slowly, she slid her hand into the opening of my underwear and a hiss escaped before between my teeth when I felt her wrap delicate fingers around me. She maneuvered my penis out of its hiding spot, the erect member standing tall as he received attention. She shifted her gaze down to what she was doing, her hand sliding up and down the length of it. The warm friction felt amazing as her soft palm caressed the fragile area. LEaning forward, she placed a soft kiss on the head of it and I nearly jumped through my skin.

Her eyes peered up at me as she opened her mouth. They never left mine as she took my entire length in his mouth, the tip of my dick hitting the back of her throat. As her wet, hot mouth wrapped around me, I felt like I was quickly coming unraveled. She gave a little suck, the sound causing my insides to harden. I bent slightly, taking her hair in my hand. She rocked back on her heels, her mouth gliding up and down on my shaft. Now and then, her teeth was nibble on the tip in a rough but gentle way that made my eyes want to roll back into my brain. When I wasn't in her mouth, she massaged the area with her hands. I thought my knees were going to buckle as I felt the beginning waves of an orgasm looming nearby. If this kept up, our night was going to be short lived.

"My turn." I said, moving to pull out. Kim shook her head though, holding firm.

"Mmmm." She said, the hum vibrating around my cock. My balls tightened as she did that, leaving me teetering on the edge. I let out a gasp, closing my eyes to prevent myself from releasing.

"You're not playing fair." I gasped out, trying to shift again. She hummed again, sending me to my doom. My entire body went rigid as I was sent into an orgasm. White light flashed in my mind as the waves of pleasure washing over my brain. Kim continued to suck, taking what felt like my life essence from me as she did. I could feel my deposit unload into her mouth and she did not hesitate and swallow it as I forced myself to look down at her again. Devilish eyes sparked up at me as she pulled back from me, her tongue licking her lips. "What the hell was that?" I asked, regaining the ability to string words together to make a sentence. She stood up, shrugging her shoulders.

"Think of it as a wedding present." What did that mean? Was she trying to show me what I was going to be missing once this was over? If so, it was well appreciated useless effort because I already knew that. She bent down and picked up the robe again. I went to yank it from her hand but she moved it faster than I could, the only thing I had in mine was the rope that went around the waist. "Think I'll take a shower now." She called over her shoulder, heading towards the bathroom. I growled.

"I think the fuck not." I said, stepping towards her. She went to run but I had gotten my bearings back, allowing me to catch her before she reached the bathroom door. I scooped her up in my arms and headed back towards the bed. She squealed, kicking her legs in hopes of getting me to drop her. "You would think after getting kidnapped so much, you'd be better at this."

"Shut up." She said as I dropped her onto the mattress. She bounced, scrambling to try and get away again. She got caught up in the robe though, getting stuck. I noticed the rope was still in my hands and grabbed her hand. It caught her off guard, allowing me to grab the other. Quickly, I tied them together with one end of the cotton rope. She tried to pull away but I was able to yank her back.

"Well, would you look at that. I should have thought of this a long time ago." I said, smiling at her. She glared up at me, trying her best to get the knot undone around her wrists. It was no use though.

"Untie me, Tommy." She said, giving me an expectant look. I shrugged my shoulders.

"Oh no. Not until I get some revenge here." I picked up my foot and kicked the robe off the bed. Grabbing Kim again, I flipped her over so that she was on her stomach. She pushed herself up so sh was on her hands and knees. Snaking the rope between her legs away for her head, I pulled on it. Her hands followed it, forcing her head down face first into the bedspread. I pushed her knees together and wrapped the rope around them, tying them in place so she was unable to move. I stood back, enjoying the view of Kim's ass in the air, the pink thong nestled between her tanned cheeks nicely.

"I'm not laughing." She said, trying to move. She looked at me with eyes that were giving away how excited she was.

"I know. The goal is have you screaming." I walked over to the edge of the bed and ran a hand gently over her right ass cheek. It was firm and the perfect kind of plump. I caressed it for a moment before giving it a quick smack. She jerked forward, a cry coming from her lips. I repeated the action, rubbing the spot afterwards. The skin was beginning to redden from the contact. I did it again before switching to the other side. Soon, both were a rosey red color and she was letting out soft gasps each time I touched her. Pleased with my work, bent down on my knees behind her and slid my hands over her ass cheeks and to her thong. I noticed that it was a bit wetter than it had been before. "Oh, seems like you liked being spanked. I'll have to keep that in mind for next time." If there was a next time.

I slid the strings of her thong down, revealed her landing strip of damp curls I was always thrilled to see. Her thong rested on her knees, contrasting against the white of the rope. Taking my right hand, I ran a finger lightly over her opening. She shuddered under it, leaning forward out of the way. I gripped her ass cheek with my other hand, pulling her back and holding on to her firmly. I repeated the action with more pressure, the tip flicking her clit. I heard a gasp slip from between her teeth and I felt myself begin to harden. That didn't take long. She wasn't going to get off that easy though. Well, figuratively speaking. Leaning in, I dipping my tongue into her folds and letting it stroke her slit. It grew increasingly wetter by this, making my tongue slip in and out with ease. I repeated the motion, again and again, my tongue exploring the entire length of her. Her cries were growing louder with each tongue stroke, telling me that she was beginning to feel the orgasm coming. With the tip of my tongue, I traced out shapes on her clit. The pressure was directly on the sensitive bud, her moaning and crying joined by her pulling against her restraints. Closing my eyes, I traced the words 'I love you' against her. As I finished the U, I felt her muscles spasm as she rolled over the edge. The scream she let out nearly echoed off the walls, my name vibrating around the room.

Standing, I undid the ties around her knees and pulled her thong free. I then released her wrists from the rope. She rolled over onto her side, panting as she looked up at me. I knelt on the bed, gently moving her so that she was laying on her back. Positioning myself between her thighs, I slid slowly into her. A hiss slipped out as her warmness wrapped itself around me, reminding me of the mind-blowing blow job I had just received a short time ago. I stiffened more at the thought as I slid my arms under her shoulders, allowing me to be as close as possible to her. Kim's arms wrapped around my shoulders as she clung to me. Slowly, I began grinding my hips back and forth, entering her with a deep thrust each time. Her breath hitched, matching my tempo as her sensitive area was faced with more friction. Our eyes locked and I felt my heart grow heavy. I shoved all thoughts of Katherine and the baby (even as horrible as it sounds) from my mind and focused on the beautiful woman underneath me. The one I was so in love with and would be in love with for the rest of my life. The woman I wanted to carry my children. This would be the last time I would feel her like this. The last time I would be able to show her just how much I loved her.

I pressed my lips to hers, running my tongue over the lower one to ask for permission to explore her mouth. She agreed, opening her mouth and granting me access. I tried to memorize everything about this moment; how she smelled, how she tasted, how she felt wrapped around me in every sense of the word. Kim tightened her grip on my shoulder, her moaning into my mouth. I was feeling it too, the releasing coming quickly. I needed this moment to last forever. If it did, our time together would never end.  
It did though, both of us crying out each others names as we climaxed together. I held on to her tightly, kissing her with everything I had in me as the waved tried to drag us out to the sea of pleasure. As the ebbed away, I slowly pulled away from her and rolled so I was laying next to her. We laid there in silence, trying to catch our breath. Kimberly looked so beautiful and peaceful right now, a small smile pulling at her lips. This was how I wanted to remember her, I thought as I wrapped my arms around her. I wanted to remember her best right here with me where we both belonged.

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_**Kimberly**_

If I don't throw up before this is all over, it'll be a God granted miracle.

The St. Peter's Cathedral here in Beverly Hills was dressed to impress, pink and white flowers covering basically any surface that wasn't already filled with something. The giant stained glass window behind the altar was doing little to no effort at blocking out the bright sun that was not only blazing for an October day but also blinding. I shifted in my seat in the third row, trying to move out of a direct beam of light. God only knows I wouldn't wanted to be blinded before having to watch this shit go down.

I should have done it last night. I was now completely aware of the fact. After we had made love, we laid there for a while just talking about everything but the wedding. We didn't fall asleep until a couple of hours before morning, the sun creeping in over the ocean as I closed my eyes. When I woke up, he was getting dressed and ready to go. He gave me one last kiss before he left, something that felt so sad and final. I cried after he walked out the door, something that continued until Trini and Jason came knocking on my door to find me for our ride. They were excited about the wedding, seeing as they were all in it. I was the only one of the Rangers sitting in the pews, something I knew Kat didn't just happen to overlook. I didn't blame her though and I wouldn't want to be apart of this any more than I had to.

My gaze went from the window over to the altar where Rocky, Jason and Billy were standing. Tommy was not there, his attention needed elsewhere apparently. I wondered for a moment about those movies where people stood to object. Would that work here? What would happen after? Well, besides Kat clawing my eyes out. I would deserve that and would let her if it meant Tommy and I being together. My heart raced at the idea. Would it actually be a good idea to do? My eyes landed on the flowers and the decorations, reminding me how much money not only her parents had spent but also Tommy. No, I had passed on my chance. I had plenty of time before this to tell him. I was just going to have to sit and deal with this right now. I had no other choice.

The organ player hit some notes on the pipe organ in the corner of the room, signalling it was time for everyone to sit down and shut the hell up. The did, the boys at the altar turning to face to crowd. Someone jogged up the aisle in a white suite and I realized it was Tommy. He got to the altar and shook hands with Jason who was serving as best man. His white suit looked great on him, a pink vest and bow to go with it. I growled under my breath at the color scheme, my jealousy nearly running over. I was going to be getting hammered at the reception I decided. Who knows what could happen then?

_**Tommy**_

This was a mistake. I knew I shouldn't be standing up here but there was nothing I could do about it now. As looked out at the crowd of almost three hundred people, I knew that if I tried backing out right now, it was a strong possibility that one of Kat's relatives would hire Crocodile Dundee to kill me. As it stood now, I would deserve it but no one knew that but me. And Kimberly. My eyes landed on her and I saw that she was staring into space, her attention on the stained glass window above me head. It was a scene depicting Jesus being born, the small baby in a manager in Mary and Joseph's arms. Guilt tripped over me like cold water as I thought about last night and what it would mean for the rest of my life.

I'm only doing this for the baby.

I had to keep reminding myself that this morning, especially when I woke up to Kimberly snuggled into me in the pale morning sunlight. She had looked perfect, like a sleeping angel you didn't want to stir. I willed myself to stay there, come up missing for the wedding, and let Kat figure out the rest. I couldn't though. I had someone other than myself to think about now. Once this baby was born, I would have to show him or her the right way to live life and it didn't start by ditching your fiance at the altar. People who aren't together raise babies all the time, a voice said in my mind. I knew that was true but I didn't want to be that type of father. I didn't want my child to see me as the Dad that ran away when Mom got pregnant. I wasn't going to be the father that everyone shunned because of that. Kim turned to look at me, our eyes locking.  
Even if it meant telling her good-bye.

_**Kimberly**_

Tommy's eyes locked with mine as the wedding processional music began. A blonde haired girl appeared in a pink bridesmaid dress, letting me believe she was a relative of Kat's. Another blonde followed behind her, following the first towards the altar in a slow fashion. Trini was next, Aisha in two behind her. The both wore pink two, I color I found odd on them. Trini casted me a smile when she got to the altar, turning to face out at the crowd. I forced one, trying to look supportive. If I tried hard enough, I might be able to make it look like I wasn't about to throw up all over the place.

Why was he doing this? Did he really not have feelings for me anymore to the point he could marry someone else? Especially after our time together last night? Images of us ran through my mind and I felt tears well into my eyes. This was it. This was going to the be the moment of my life that truly broke my heart. Not only was I about to watch him marry someone else, it was also going to be the last memory I had of him in my mind. Anger fueled in my chest, at myself and at him. We shouldn't have let it get that far. We shouldn't have crossed those lines that would leave people hurting. Cause right now, the only one who was hurting was me, something I knew was going to happen. Tanya made her way up the aisle and when she came to a rest, the bridal march began. Everyone stood and I forced myself to my feet.

"She looks stunning!" Tommy's aunt Cindy said next to me, smiling as she leaned forward for a better look. I nodded, not able to say anything as Kat came up the aisle, her hand tucked into her father's elbow. Her dress was a big puffy white thing that made her look like a princess, her blonde hair up in a bun with a tiara over her white veil. I envisioned clawing it out of her locks, stopping her from walking forward as she passed me. I couldn't' bring myself to do that though.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to celebrate the union of Miss Katherine Hillard and Mr. Thomas Oliver." The minister called, an older gentlemen with short salt and pepper hair and a skinny build. He went on and on about love and what not as we sat, the words not forming in my mind as being actually words. I sat rooted in my spot, watching as Tommy took Kat's hands in his. "Is there anyone in this room who has a reason that these two should not be joined in holy matrimony? Speak now or forever hold your peace."

_**Tommy**_

I willed anyone to speak right now. For anyone to jump up and object to this marriage. I even looked over at Kim who seemed a shade greener than usual but she didn't move. She didn't make a motion to stand or speak as the pastor glanced around the room. Kat beamed over at me as he continued, heading into something about love being patient. I couldn't help but picture Kimberly standing in front of me. Kat looked pretty but Kim would have picked a more flattering dress, something that was lace or form fitting. Before my eyes, she materialized. Kim in a white lace dress, pink roses tucked into a mountain of curls on her head. Her smile wide as she gazed up at me. This was what I wanted. This was what I would forever dream of when I thought back to my wedding day.

_**Kimberly**_

Tommy and Kat exchanged rings and repeated vows read to them from the little bible in the guy's hand. Tears flowed now as I realized it was too late. My stomach tightened too as I realized what was coming. Grabbing Tommy and Kat by the shoulders, the pastor turned them to face us.  
"Here, before the grace of God, I now present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Oliver. Tommy, you may now kiss your bride." He announced proudly. Tommy nodded, stepping forward and pressing his lips to Kat's. I looked away, unable to stomach the sight. People cheered around me as I held in the urge to fall apart. Glancing back, I watched as Tommy took Kat's hand again and the two of them headed down the aisle. As he passed me, he shot me one last glance before heading out the back of the church.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Hi guys! Here is another one shot for you. This one was suggested by SpecialK92. I loved the idea of this story because it was sweet and felt like an actual episode idea. Remember, keep sending me your ideas! I love hearing them.

* * *

**You Found Me**

_Tick._

_Tick._

_Tick._

_Tick._

If this clock moves any slower, I was going to lose my shit. I sat back in my chair, located in the third row on the left in Miss Appleby's fourth block English class. It had been a long eighty minutes, my mind on anything but whatever Shakespearean bullshit she was talking about. It might have been Hamlet or something but I didn't give a shit. All I knew was that in exact three minutes and forty two second, Spring Break would officially start. It was the very thing I had been counting down to all month, nine days of having no responsibilities, no school work, and no one around.

Except for Kimberly Hart.

At the thought of her name, I glanced over at my petite girlfriend who was sitting closer to the door. She was bouncing her right knee, the jean shorts she was wearing tightening every time her leg rose. She wore a pink floral tank top that buttoned in the front and her long brunette hair was braided down her back. She looked beautiful, something that was never untrue of her. I was extremely lucky that I get to call her mine. We've been together for about two years now and she's pretty much the reason I was about to jump out the window next to me.

A month ago, we decided that we wanted to do something different for Spring Break. Typically, we spend the week with our friends around town. Due to our Power Ranger duties, we weren't really allowed to go very far. At least within teleporting range. We wanted a change. The daily grind of school and fighting Rita and Zedd's monsters can wear a person down and we both decided we needed to get away for a little while. My uncle was nice enough to offer his cabin on the ocean to us, a nice little cottage dwelling with it's own private beach and boat to go with it. He calls it his yacht but it's really just a used boat that he bought cheap and fixed up. He said my friends and I were free to use it, letting my parents know it was alright with him.

I thought about telling everyone else but the idea of spending all that time alone with Kimberly was far too enticing to pass up. So, I told her about it and we both hatched plan. We asked our friends to cover for us, not only to our parents but also to Zordon. They agreed to call us only if there was something going on they couldn't handle themselves without the Megazord, something Kim and I needed to be here for. With our plan together, the countdown began. As soon as the bell rings, we are hopping in my Bronco and hitting the highway.

"Class, I'm not assigning too much homework for over break." Miss Appleby said, causing a groan to come from my classmates. Kim glanced over her shoulder at me, a small smile on her lips as she caught my eye. I didn't even hear what the assignment was, my attention focused in on the cute way her nose crinkled when her smile met her dimples. Jesus, that girl was gorgeous. I never thought it was possible for such a perfect person to exist but then I met her. That was it. Everything about her made me want to be a better person and then some. Which was why I knew she was going to be the person by my side for the rest of my life.

And why there was an engagement ring nestled in the pockets of my jeans right now.

I had thought about keeping it in my locker but I was afraid she would find it since she had my combo. It had been in my glove box earlier but the fear of it getting stolen somehow or damaged because of a monster attack crept into the back of my mind. So, it found it's home in my pocket where I knew it would be safe. I know it sounds crazy. We're young. We have our whole lives in front of us to spend together without hurrying towards marriage. That wasn't the plan though. Asking Kim to marry me wasn't about sprinting down the altar the next day. It was about showing her that she was my person, the one I knew I wanted with me until I took my last breath. Even if we are engaged for thirty years, it wouldn't matter to me as long as she was the one I was coming home to each and every day. Plus, it might take me that long to graduate college with the rate my grades were going now.

"5….4….3….2….1!" Bulk exclaimed next to me as the bell rang. I was up faster than he was, scooping my book bag off the ground. Kim scooted out of her chair and turned towards me. I maneuvered around my classmates, grabbed her hand, and then beelined it right out of the classroom. She giggled, gripping my hand tightly as we made our way out into the hallway.

"I thought for sure that clock stopped for a minute in there." I said, looking down at her.

"I know! That was the longest class in the history of classes." She replied, leaning her head on my arm as we walked. I headed to the row of lockers where hers was located. Letting go of my hand, she walked over to it and popped it open. Shoving her books inside, she tugged her purse out and placed it on her shoulder. Her bags for the week were already in my truck, squeezed in next to mine and the supplies we would need for the week. I had stocked up on groceries last night at the cabin, not wanting to chance any type of cold food in my car all day in the warm California sun.

"I'm just glad it's over and now you are all mine for the next week." I said as she shut her locker. She smiled up at me, stepping closer.

"I feel like you have this a lot more planned out than I imagined."

"Oh...maybe a little bit." I replied, winking at her before giving her a quick kiss. "But only if we get going now. C'mon." Taking her hand again, I pulled her towards the exit that led to the back parking lot.

"Tommy, you are yanking my arm out of its socket." She laughed, trying to keep up with me. "The cabin will be there just the same if you let my shorter legs walk at the speed they are supposed to."

"Oh. Sorry." I stopped, turning around and scooping her off her feet. She let out a yelp, people looking at us. I tossed her over my shoulder and started walking towards the door. I shoved the bar on the door, opening it with a loud sound. She giggled behind me, letting her arms dangle on my back.

"You are so impatient, Mr. Oliver."

"Only for you!" I called back, heading to my car. I spotted it in the back corner and my long legs strode towards it. Kids who were heading to their cars stopped to look at us as we passed, laughing at the sight of me carrying Kim. I felt her wave at a couple of them, including Aisha and Rocky who were walking towards his truck from the science wing.

"Have fun!" Aisha called over, waving at us.

"You know they will." Rocky added, winking at me. I flipped him the bird as Aisha slapped him in the arm. They climbed into his jeep as I set Kim down on her feet by the back of my Bronco.

"I'm allowed to walk now?" She asked, straightening her clothes.

"Well, it is only three steps to the door." I replied, shrugging my shoulder. She rolled her eyes, shaking her head at me as she walked over to the passenger side door. She climbed in as I chucked my backpack into the back seat. Quickly, I climbed into the driver's seat and pulled out of the parking lot.

* * *

It was becoming increasingly apparent that Tommy had some big plans for our Spring Break. I had never seen him drive so fast in my life, not even in his Zord. We were on the highway in no time, my hand clutching the 'Oh shit' bar over my head as he drove. Once on the highway, he turned the music up and weaved around cars like it was nothing. I was able to relax at that point, the fear of crashing to our doom not coming over me as much. A huge smile was on his face as we headed up the coast, him reaching over and taking my hand in his. I found myself smiling too, enjoying the view of his long hair wiping around in it's ponytail. Boy, I was one lucky girl to have this handsome looking guy to call my boyfriend. He was dreamy, sweet, compassionate and just downright perfect in my eyes.

Butterflies were flying around in my stomach as I thought about the next week. Even though we've been together for as long as we have, this will be the first time we ever spent this much alone time together. It wasn't like we were virgins or anything. Tommy and I have been having regular sex (as regular as two teenagers can have with parents and Ranger duties lurking around) for about six months now. It was more the thought of it being like a glimpse into us living together. What if he decides he hates the way I look in the morning or the way I hog the bathroom? Would that be grounds for him to want to dump me? Probably. Mentally, I started a panicky list of things I was going to try my hardest not to do. It wasn't that we haven't spent the night together before. We have, plenty of times. But always surrounded by our friends or at the Command Center where weren't exactly enjoying ourselves. This was something completely out of our element here.

Tommy took the fifth exit on the right, veering off under a sign that said San Francisco. The cabin was located a few minutes outside of the city limits, set on a private estate that barely anyone knew about. I've met Tommy's Uncle Mark a few times and he was quite the character. He had made big money as a lawyer in Chicago but grew tired of that kind of life. He moved out here to be closer to Tommy's family, choosing to defend celebrities in divorce cases and criminal court where there was money to be made. It was very generous of him to allow Tommy to use his cabin for the week, even if he didn't realize it was going to be used as a teen love shack for the duration of our stay. At least, that was what I imagined happening here.

The tires made the gravel road under them crackle as Tommy slowly made his way up the long private road that led to the cabin. He pulled up in front of the house, turning the engine off. The sun was still bright in the sky, it glistening off the surface of the ocean that lapped the shore beyond the trees that were on either side of the road. We came upon a clearing and the cabin appeared, the beach laying out behind the structure just waiting for someone to come along and enjoy it. The cabin was a cozy cottage made out of dark wood paneling on the outside. It was three rooms, a small wrap around porch on it. Out front, there was a small shed and a durable pop up garage for one vehicle. Behind it, I could see the fire pit we had roasted marshmallows in last summer as well as a swing that overlooked the water. A dock stretched out into the water where Mark's boat was tied off to. It was a large boat, something that was close to being unnecessary for the unmarried man. There were three levels to the white vessel, shiny chrome railings around it. He had all the windows sealed shut and the anchor out, ensuring it wasn't going anywhere.

"It's so peaceful here." I said, opening the door and climbing out. There was a sea salt breeze in the air that welcomed me. Smiling over at Tommy, I watched as he climbed out of his side of truck. He was smiling brightly, looking like a kid on Christmas morning.

"It always is. That's why I come here to think most times. This is where I was when I lost my Green Ranger powers. It really helped me get my mind off things." He said, walking around to the back to get our things I headed there as well, closing my door.

"I can see why." He pulled open the hatch and grabbed his duffel bag and my suitcase. I went to grab it from him but he held it out of my reach. "I can carry it, Tommy."

"Allow me." He said, bowing slightly. I rolled my eyes as he shut the hatch. Reaching into his pocket, he fished out the keys to the front door. I followed behind him as he walked towards the cabin. Our footsteps echoed off the wooden planks of the porch, mixing with the sounds of the ocean hitting the shore. He unlocked the door and we headed inside. The decor of the cabin was nautical themed, pictures of ocean landscapes and pieces of boating equipment on the wood panel walls. We were in the living room and kitchen portion of the place, a eat in kitchen on the left and the living room on the right. In the kitchen, I spotted the usual necessities like a fridge and a stove along with a table and four chairs. For the den portion, there was a brown leather couch, a cobblestone fireplace, and a television set up on a small stand in the corner. Passed that, I saw an open door that led to a bedroom. This was the smaller guest room where there was only a twin size bed. Up the stairs on the left of the door, was the loft where the king sized bed was perched above our heads. I couldn't see it from here but I knew it was there from our past trips. Tommy set our bags down near the couch as I pushed the door shut behind me. It was a bit stuffy in here, the air warm and stagnant. Walking over, he opened a couple of windows to allow a cool breeze in. I shrugged my purse off and set it down on the couch.

"Are you hungry?" He asked, looking over at me. "I bought some stuff to snack on." I shook my head.

"I'm good for right now. Unless you are. Doesn't matter to me." I replied quickly.

"Whatever you want!" He said, his words fumbling over themselves. He let out a nervous laugh, scratching his forehead. Clasping my hands in front of me, I took a step towards him.

"I think we're both a little nervous here." I said, smiling. He nodded.

"You could say that. I just want this trip to go perfectly, that's all." He admitted, gazing down at me. I took his hand in mine.

"Tommy, as long as we're together, it's going to be perfect. Trust me."

"I hope so." He took both of my hands in his. "Kim, I really hope this is a week that we look back to when we're older and remember it as one of the best times of our lives."

"It will be. Now, what do you want to do first?" He casted a glance up to the loft quickly before looking back at me. I smirked. "I think we can manage that."

* * *

Kim and I spent the first night at the cabin under the sheets of my uncle's bed. It wasn't exactly how I thought our first night would go but it was well worth the change. Every moment I get to spend with Kim is wonderful and if it happens we are naked, so be it. Even if I'm a protector of the Earth, I'm still a teenage boy. We tend to think with certain parts of our bodies before the parts we should be thinking of.

The next morning, I woke up with one mission in mind. I was going to propose today. I had to get it over with or else I wasn't going to be able to relax this entire time. And if she said yes, we have an entire week to celebrate. If she says now, I still have plenty of time to wallow in self pity. I made her a breakfast of eggs and bacon, delivering it in bed. She was surprised to see I had cook something for her, saying she must have died and gone to heaven. If she only knew.

After eating, we unpacked our belongings in the dresser in the downstairs bedroom. I suggested that she leave out her bathing suit and something to wear on the boat so we could venture out into the ocean. Her face lit up when I said that before she disappeared into the bathroom for a shower. While she was in there, I made quick work at packing a basket full of things for lunch as well as some candles. I didn't know how I was going to do it exactly but they never fail to set the mood. I brought these out to the boat as well as the ring, tucking it under the seat behind the captains wheel. Going back into the cabin, I changed into a pair of swim trunks and packed a change of clothes as well.

"This will be exciting." She said, emerging from the bathroom a few moments later. She had brushed out her hair, leaving it down. She was also sporting a light pink bikini top over a pair of cut off jean shorts that made me stare at her longer than I should have. Regaining my composure, I smiled over at her from my place by the kitchen.

"Yeah! I love taking the boat out." I replied. Pulling a white t-shirt over my torso, I grabbed the boat keys from a hook by the door. Kim stepped towards me but stopped. "What?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at me.

"Should be bring our morphers with us?" She asked, glancing at them sitting on top of the bag by the door. "I mean, I know the guys said they wouldn't need us but you never know."

"Yeah. We can just put them below deck to keep them safe. Plus, we will have our communicators with us." I said, giving her a reassuring smile. "Ready?" She nodded, picking up her bag and tucking the morphers inside of it.

"Let's do this!" She said cheerfully. I took her hand, leading her out of the cabin and locking the door behind us. Her flip flops slapped the wood of the porch and then the dock, the sound echoing around us as we made our way to the side of the boat. I climbed on, helping her board next it. I raised the anchor, putting it in it's holder before untying it from it's place on the water splashed the sides of the boat as I moved about, Kim getting comfortable in the control room. I joined her once everything was cleared from the boat to allow us to cast off. Sliding into the captain's chair, I turned the motor on and eased the throttle until it shuddered forward. Soon, we were farther away from the dock, letting me apply more pressure to the throttle. I wanted to be out at sea more, giving us a lot more private. Kim walked over behind me and wrapped her arms around my neck. I stroked the top one with my free hand, a feeling of happiness and nervousness in my chest.

About ten minutes later, I brought the boat to a stop. We were far enough in the ocean to only see the shore as a green little dot. I went out and dropped the anchor again, not waiting to float away somewhere. Kim followed me out here, looking around the water around us. Standing in the sunlight, I admired how beautiful she looked. Her hair was fanned out around her head and the sun made her skin look almost bronze. She walked over to the back of the boat and laid out a pink and white striped towel to lay on. She shimmeyed her way out of her jeans shorts and revealed bottoms that were just modest enough to not be skimpy but they were the best thing in my life at the time being.

"I'll be right back." I called out. She nodded, gazing at me from her spot under the sun. I headed back into the control portion of the boat, fishing the ring from the hiding spot. How exactly was I going to do this? Just walk over, get down on one knee and say it? That would seem a bit strange, especially since we were both in attire best used for swimming, not proposing. I would need something clever and sweet, showing her just how much she meant to me and what spending the rest of my life with her would be like. I moved to shove it in my pocket but found that the box was too big. Sighing, I opened the box and pulled the gold ring with a small diamond on it out. Tucking the ring in my pocket, I set the box on the console before walking out. I headed back over to her and sat down next to her.

"This was a great idea, Tommy." She said, shifting to look up at me. "Pretty sure I'll be a lobster before we go back but it's okay."

"I figured that the boat would be the best way to do this anyway." I replied, sweat forming on my brow. She propped herself up, looking at me confused.

"Do what?" She asked.

"Kimberly, there's something I wanted to ask you and I'm not sure where to start." I cleared my throat in a nervous fashion and she sat up. "The day I first met you, it was one of the most odd and life changing days of my life. Not only did I become a Power ranger, I also got to meet the person who would do the most good in my life. I never expected us to make it this long but with each passing day, I think to myself how awesome it is that we have." I reached out and took her hands in mine. "You're my best friend and the only person who has never given up on me. No matter what life tosses at us, we don't seem to falter as long as we have each other to depend on. I want that to rest the rest of our lives." I reached into my pocket and pulled out the ring. Her eyes widened when she saw it and when I dropped down to one knee. "Kimberly Ann Hart, will you marry me?"

"Tommy, I...I...Zedd!" She exclaimed, looking behind me. I looked at her confused for a moment, trying to figure out what she said. It dawned on me that she said Zedd as in Lord Zedd. We both jumped to our feet, taking fighting stances. The ring fell from my fingers, landing on the deck of the boat between us. Sure enough, when I turned around, Zedd was standing on the boat behind me. His red was extra deep in this sunlight, a shiny reflection on the silver armor.

"Ah, Tommy and Kimberly. Did I interrupt something important? How unfortunate. To make it up to you, why don't I make that ring a little bigger, shall we?" He asked, pointing his Z shaped staff towards us. A bolt of lightning shot out of it, hitting the engagement ring. I stepped forward to save it but Kim held me back. Where the ring had been, a monster appeared. It stood about my height, a very large and round body to him. He was gold, his skin shining like metal in the hot sun. Two large eyes were set back on the top of the figure, a staff in his hand that had a large gemstone on the end of it. There was even a hole in the middle of his body like the ring, large diamonds on the top of his head.

"I'm Mr. Bling Bling!" The thing said, laughing out loud. "And I think it's time for you two to retire."

"I don't think so." I called out. Running forward, I kicked the monster in the side. He fell backwards towards Zedd who swore. Kim ran and punched him as well, the monster continuing to back up.

"I think we need to make this a fairer fight." Zedd said, pointing his staff again. Four putties appeared, their annoying turkey sounding noise echoing around us. "Let's see how you two handle this!" There was a crackling of lightning again and Zedd was gone, leaving this thing with us.

"We need our morphers." Kimberly said, squaring up a putty. I nodded.

"There inside near the seat. I can keep them off so you can get them."

"Right." She nodded, glancing around for some type of opening. She saw one and ran for it as I went up against two of the putties.

* * *

Ducking under the arm of a putty trying to swing for my head, I managed to squeeze passed him but I couldn't shake the second one that easy. He followed behind me as I sprinted for the ladder, hoping to get up their before it's too late. The putty was hot on my heels, following me right into the captains section. I spotted the bag with our morphers in it and l lunged forward to grab it. As I did, I collided with the control panel and a small paper box feel down and rolled in the direction of the putty. He paused for a moment, picking it up and examining it. He held it up to the light, fascinated by it.

"Hey, clay for brains. Give that back." I said, holding my hands up. The putty gobbled before running out the door we had just came in. I followed behind him, not wanting him to damage the ring box. Had Tommy really been proposing right now? I know I had more important things on my mind right now but it was still trying to play in my head. He got down on one knee with a ring. That was proposing. Did he know what he was doing right now? We're so young. Anyone who knew about us getting engaged by say we were stupid and everything was going to change after that. Why did he have to do that?

Following behind the putty, I spotted him running down the steps of the boat. I jumped three of them, landing on his back. We both sprawled across the deck as I saw Tommy fighting off two putties at once. The one I had just attack scrambled to get to his feet. Due to our fall, the ring box had fallen out of his hands and somewhere nearby. I couldn't see if from where I was lying but the clay brain was trying to stand. I took the time to kick him in the chest, him exploding into pieces seconds later.

"Ah! What's this?" The monster said, bending down and picking up the ring box. He held it up and nodded. "This will do very nicely." He waved his hand over it and the velvet box grew more. He cracked it open with his thumb, holding it out towards us. "Come on in! Let's see what trouble we can cause in my dimension." He called, The wind picked up around us and I felt myself sliding forward. I tried to grab something but it wasn't working. Tommy was having the same troubles, the putties pushing him towards it.

"Tommy!" I called, gripping at the deck floor.

"Kim, hold on!" He yelled back. Suddenly, with a pop of white light he was gone. Pink engulfed me and I felt my body pull harder. I closed my eyes, feeling myself fly through the air and suddenly, it stopped. I opened my eyes and saw I was on land now. A weird kind of land. Everything was blue under my feet with a pale pink color in the sky. Standing, I took a fighting stance.

"Tommy!" I called out, looking for him.

"Kim!" A voice replied behind me. Turning, I saw him dangling out of a yellow barked tree with huge purple leaves.

"Hang on. I'm coming." I said, running towards him. I got to the base of the tree and held my hand out to him. He took it, letting me pull him down. We crashed to the ground in a small pile, pain filling my back end from the collision.

"Sorry." He said, standing up and helping me stand. Wiping his hands off, he looked around. "Where the hell are we?"

"I don't know. That thing said something about his dimension." I replied.

"That's right Rangers!" A voice boomed behind us. Spinning, we saw Goldar standing there. His gold armor shined in the sun light and he pointed his sword at us. Instinctively, I reached for my morpher but it wasn't there. I had forgotten them in the boat chasing after the putty. "How about we talk about our deepest fears? Kimberly? Ladies first!" He slammed his sword into the ground and the world around us dissolved into darkness.

"Tommy!" I called out, fear gripping my chest. The blackness faded and I saw I was now standing in some kind of courtroom. There was a judge sitting behind a large desk at the front of the room, two tables set up in front of him. A man was sitting on the left with another man and on the right, a man and a woman were sitting together. In the rows of seats behind them, there were people sitting here and there. I couldn't make out any faces as they were all turned away from me. It reminded me of the setting of the courtroom where I had to see a law guardian about my parents' divorce. Though it had been a long time ago, I felt a fine layer of sweat form on my skin at the thought of it. The whole experience had been horrible, between my parents fighting in the hallway before hand to the judge asking me which one I wanted to live with. The guilt that followed afterwards when my Dad heard me say I wanted to stay with my mother.

"Next case." The judge said, rifling through papers in front of him. The bailiff next to the podium stepped forward.

"The court now will see the divorce proceedings for Thomas and Kimberly Oliver." The officer said. I felt my heart sink. Divorced? Tommy and I were getting divorced? The image in front of me cleared more and I recognized that it was indeed him sitting on the left side of the room and I was perched in a chair on the right. Neither looked at one another as I stepped forward. Goldar and Tommy were still standing with me, them behind the rows of benches.

"If you get married, this is what will happen to you. Love isn't real, especially between the two of you." Goldar called. "You'll end up just like your parents, Kimberly."

"He's right." I whispered, tears forming in my eyes.

"No, he's not." Tommy said, stepping forward and grabbing my shoulders. "He doesn't know the first thing about our feelings for each other. We won't end up like your parents. We're different than them."

"No, we're not. He is right. Half of all marriages end in divorce. My parents hated each other after a while, thrilled to be out of it. I can't go through that with you."

"Beautiful, I can't predict the future but we can't run away from the things we want just because something bad might happen. I will never be able to hate you." He said softly. "This is us. We're end game. Nothing will change that between us. You're the only person in the world that will ever matter to me as much as you do. There's no one else I would rather spend the rest of my life with, even if it's for a short time. A short forever with you would be worth anything in the world."

"Really?" I whispered, looking up at him. The room around us began to slowly dissolve as my heart rate slowed down.

"Really. I love you and you love me. It's all we need." He leaned in and kissed me, the image disappearing completely. We didn't go back to the odd world, however. Instead, we were in the middle of what looked like a pile of smoldering rubble. Tommy let go of me and looked around.

"Tommy, why don't you see the failure that awaits you!" Goldar called, waving his hand to the left.

* * *

My eyes traveled in the direction Goldar was pointing. All I could make out was the top of the Megazord, only it was destroyed and ripped to pieces. Stepped forward, I saw that there were more parts of it laying around, the metal twisted and mangled. My breath hitched when I saw the form of someone laying on the ground, tattered pieces of pink on their body. I ran forward, skidding to a stop in front of Kim's lifeless body.

"She dies because you fail to protect her. The one thing you're supposed to do with your miserable like, Tommy, and you can't do that." Goldar said, his voice growling in his throat. I bent and lifted the head of the body in front of me, removing the helmet. It was Kimberly, her eyes open wide in death. "You aren't worth the mantle you wear. You can never protect her the way she needs to be protected,"

"Shut up, Goldar!" Kim's voice called, appearing in front of me. "Tommy, look at me." She said softly. I didn't move to.

"What if I can't protect you? What if I lose you like this?" I whispered. "What if Zedd can beat us and take you away from me because I wasn't able to stop him?"

"Zedd is never going to be able to do that. You know that. He's no better than Rita and she was an idiot. You can protect me, Tommy. There's no one else I would trust my life with."

"You shouldn't though. I'm weak. That's why she was able to cast her spell on me." Kim reached over and gripped my face in her hands.

"She picked you because she knew you were worthy to be a Power Ranger. None of that matters no. The only thing that matters is you and me, right?" I gave a small nod. "They want us to think we aren't good for each other. If we do that, then we won't be as strong as we can be when we fight together. I do love you, Tommy. With all of my heart. And when we get out of here, I will wear that ring with pride because I know just how much you love me."

"I do love you." I whispered, the pain and panic in my chest fading. With it went the image of the destroyed Megazord and dead Kimberly with it. We were back in the colorful world, Goldar standing in front of. I stood up, glaring at him. Kim stood next to me, ready to fight.

"Whatever you have to throw at us, Goldar, isn't going to work." I called out. He glared at me, raising his sword.

"You'll regret the day you crossed paths we me, Rangers." He snarled. He ran forward, drawing his sword back. I stood in front of Kimberly, really wishing we had our morphers right now. That blade was going to cut right through me in one swing but I wasn't about to let him get her too if I was still breathing. Goldar let out a loud howl as he came closer. I braced myself for the impact, holding Kim's hand behind me tightly. As Goldar swung his sword, he suddenly vanished into thin air. Kim and I both jump in surprise as his sudden disappearance. Like before, we both began to glow our colors and then were yanked from reality.

I felt my body collide with the hard surface of the boat as we landed on the deck. Looking around, I saw that the red ape Zord was fighting with the Bling Bling monster in the water. The monster didn't look so good, it moving slowly. Pulling myself to my feet, I noticed that Aisha and Billy were standing on the boat dressed in their colored uniforms. I assisted Kim to her feet and turned to look at them.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"He trapped you in an inter-dimensional pathway." Billy explained. "We were able to free you when we opened the receptacle."

"And Rocky just about has the monster in the bag." Aisha said, crossing her arms. Turning, we watched as the monster exploded into a million sparks, a loud cry coming from it. Rocky raised the arms of the ape Zord up to give us a thumbs up. I stepped forward, putting my hands on the railing. A frown spread across my face as I watched the monster disappear, taking the engagement ring I had worked two months for with it.

"Tommy, are you alright?" Kimberly asked, placing a hand on my back. I nodded, turning to face her.

"As long as you're okay, I will be." I replied, smiling down at her. "Got a little scary there for a minute, didn't it?"

"Sure did. But at least you were there to save me."

"Pretty sure it was the other way around." I whispered. She smiled, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Sorry about Zedd ruining your time away, guys." Rocky said as he teleported to the deck of the boat. The three of them unmorphed, appearing in their civilian clothes. He reached out and put an arm around Aisha's shoulders.

"It's alright. It's not totally ruined. We still have plenty of time together." I replied, sliding my arm around Kim's waist.

"You do! And we will get right out of your hair." Aisha said, grabbing Billy's arm. "Call us if you need anything!" The three teleported out of sight, streaks of red, yellow and blue going across the sky until they were gone.

"Never dull being a ranger, is it?" I asked, glancing over at Kim. I noticed she was now standing by the railing, looking out into the water.

"Never is." She said, turning over her shoulder to look at me. "I think I've had enough fun at sea today. How about we head back and I'll cook dinner?"

"Sure." I said, feeling defeated as I looked out where the monster had been. Somehow, I had to find a way to propose again.

* * *

Tommy had been quiet the whole way back to the cabin. When he docked the boat, I helped him carry the food we never touched back inside. As I picked up my bag, I noticed the ring box sitting next to it. I frowned, feeling awful. Tommy had planned this trip to be special because he wanted to propose to me. And naturally, Zedd and Rita had to stick their noses in it. I tucked the box into the pocket of my shorts and headed into the cabin where Tommy was. I found him sitting on the couch, staring at the turned off television. Setting my bag on the table, I walked over to him.

"Hey. I'm going to start dinner. Cheer up, okay?" I said, putting a hand on his shoulder. He looked up at me.

"I really just wanted today to be special. Sometimes, I wish I never became a ranger. I'm sure most guys don't have this shit ruined for them like this." He frowned, picking at the arm of the couch.

"Well, no. But we're rangers so that other people have a chance to live. Tommy, there will be another chance. Besides, I never even got to tell you my answer." He shook his head.

"Give me the chance to do it right, okay? Then you can."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I think I'm going to take a shower. I'll see you in a bit." He stood up from the couch and gave me a kiss before disappearing into the bathroom. I sighed, crossing my arms as I watched him go. My eyes lingered over to the table where he had set our stuff. I saw candles on top of one of the bags. An idea suddenly came to mind as I glanced over at the bathroom again. Running over, I scooped up all the candles and headed out the door.

I raced to set up, hoping to not only beat Tommy's shower but also the setting sun. I lined all the candles up along the path that led to the beach behind the cabin. Carefully, I lit them one by one, making sure that none were to close to burn the place down. I also found some cherry blossom trees along the beach and took some of the flowers, spreading them out in the circle I had made at the end of the path by the water. Stepping back, I observed my work. It might not be perfect but I hoped it would be good enough. Behind me, the sun was getting closer to the surface of the water. I needed to hurry before it was completely gone. I found a small little radio on a shelf in the kitchen that I placed in the window, turning it up so that the music would drift out to the beach. I changed into a pink tank top I had packed and ran outside as I heard the bathroom door open.

"Kim?" I heard Tommy call as I raced down the path to the circle. I straightened my dress and hair out as I waited, glancing between the path and the water behind me. It was getting darker now, the candles shimmering like stars on the ground. It did look prettier now, a sense of pride mixing with nervousness in my chest. Up the path, Tommy came around the house and stopped when he saw the candles. He looked confused for a moment until he saw me standing on the sand. Slowly, he walked towards and a smile came across his lips for the first time since Zedd had appeared.

"I see you were busy." He said, stopping in front of me.

"I aim to please." I replied, gazing up at him. "Tommy, I'm really sorry that Zedd ruined everything for you earlier. I know you put a lot of thought into it and I feel awful that they robbed you of it."

"Well, I feel more like you got robbed." He said, taking my hands in his. "I love you, Kim. All I wanted to do was show you how much you mean to me and how much I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I mean…" He looked around. "Hold on." I watched as he took a step back and knelt down on one knee. Tears sprang to my eyes as he took my hands again. "I don't have the ring any more but, Kimberly, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

"Yes." I whispered, nodding. "A million times yes."

"Really?" He asked, his eyes widening. I nodded. He jumped to his feet, picking me up in his arms and twirling us around as he kissed me. I giggled, placing my hands on his face. "That's fantastic." He breathed, holding me in his arms as his face turned up to look at me.

"I love you, too. I don't think there was even a chance I would have said no." I said, stroking his cheek with my thumb. He made a wincing face as he shifted.

"What the hell is in your pocket?" He asked, glancing down between us.

"Oh!" I said as he set me back down on the ground. I reached in and pulled out the ring box. "I found it on the boat. I figured you might want it. Maybe you can get insurance or something for the ring." I offered, holding out the box. He shook his head.

"I don't think so. I promise I'll get you a new one, Beautiful. One that will be monster proof I hope."

"It doesn't matter to me if there's a ring or not. As long as I know that we now have forever together, I'm happy." Standing on my toes, I kissed him on the lips.

"Me too." He whispered. He glanced down at the ring box. "It's weird to think we were inside of here, you know?" He stuck his thumb nail under the lid and popped it open. His eyes widened as he looked inside, shock on his face. Worry filled my chest.

"What? Is it still dangerous?" I asked, grabbing his arm. He didn't reply as he reached inside of it. With his thumb and pointer finger, he pulled out the ring.

"It's here." He said, gazing down at it in disbelief.

"It must have returned after Rocky defeated it." I said.

"I can't believe it." He smiled, dropping the box and grabbing my left hand. "I think the third time's the charm anyway." He dropped to his knee again. "Kimberly-."

"Yes, Tommy. I will marry you." I said, cutting him off. He slid the ring onto my finger and stood, kissing me again. I smiled up at him as he pulled away. "Ya don't have to keep asking, you know."

"What can I say? I just love hearing you say yes."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Good morning! Here is the latest one-shot. This was one of the ones I wanted to write for a while now and finally was able to. I hope you all enjoy! :)**

* * *

**The Way**

Pretty sure I'm going to vomit.

It was the only thought going through my mind as I paced near the entrance of the high school. I couldn't blame it on being sick or something I had ate for lunch. I'm pretty sure I hadn't been bitten by a bug carrying some weird ass disease from Africa either. No, this was all because of my nervousness that was sitting like a lead balloon in my belly. I linked my fingers together as I paced back and forth, trying my best to not look like a wreck. People came in the door of the school, giving me smiles as they passed. None of them looked like they were going to keel over from being nervous. I was apparently the only one who was going through it.

"Hey, Tommy." Jason's voice called as he came through the front door. Zack and Billy were walking with him, all of them dressed in black dress pants and various color dress shirts. Zack's was a black, a purple tie around his neck. Billy was in blue, a white and blue striped tie accompanying it. Jason was in dark red, a plain black tie finishing the look. Reaching out, I shook their hands and gave them a pat on the back as well. "You look like you're waiting for Rita to attack any minute."

"I feel like it too." I replied, running a hand over my hair. "Shit!" I muttered, smoothing down the spot I had just touched to make sure it was not messed up. Zack chuckled.

"Tommy, you gotta relax, man. You did all the hard work already. Kimberly already said yes." He said, giving me a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

"I know. I just didn't think of the fact I would have to actually be on the date with Kimberly." I replied, sighing.

"Zack's right. Kim is crazy about you. Trust us." Jason said.

"Everything will be alright." Billy said, smiling at me. "Kimberly reciprocates your emotions, Tommy. There's no question about it."

"Thanks, guys. I really appreciate it. I hope she gets here soon." I glanced out the door towards the front walkway.

"Well, it still is Kimberly. I'm sure she had a last minute shopping trip before tonight. Her and Trini should be coming." Jason said. "C'mon. We can wait for them in the gym." I shook my head.

"I think I'll wait here for her." I replied. "You guys can go on without me."

"Alright. We'll save us a table, alright?" Jason asked. I nodded. The three of them had all decided to come stag, Angela turning Zack down four different times this week. I had to give him credit for taking rejection as well as he did. He said he wasn't going to give up yet seeing as she had flirted with him all math class yesterday. I think it was safe to say the Zack was braver than me when it came to girls. Kim wasn't just any girl though. I didn't know how else to describe it. There was something about her that made my heart stop beating for a few moments before it remembers how to function right. Her very smile is enough to weaken me at the knee. If there was a way to bottle it, Rita should look into it. She might stand a chance then.

"See ya." I said, waving as the three walked up the hallway. I went back to pacing, my nerves returning to the edge they were standing on. Maybe my friends were right. I had done the hard part. It wasn't easy asking Kimberly out. I had worried about it all week. And when I tried to do it, I was kidnapped and ended up losing my powers. Wasn't really a stellar week for me. But finally, I just manned up and did. After I kissed her, I mean. I was still up on cloud 9 a bit whenever I thought about that moment. I had to fight the smile that was trying to creep across my face now. Kissing Kim was something I had never experienced before. She was my first (unless you count a girl who had a crush on me in the third grade and had sneak attacked me after school) and it was much more than I had imagined it being. I'm not sure what made me do it but whatever it was, I was hoping I still had some of it left in me tonight. I wouldn't mind another kiss with her. Fingers crossed, tonight would end well enough that she would be willing to let me touch her again.

But what if it wasn't? My nerves spiked again and I shoved the doors open, needing the fresh air. The sun was beginning to set behind the school and there were more people crossing the parking lot from their cars and their parents dropping them off. I pulled at the green tie I was wearing, my white dress shirt feeling like it was closing in on me. I had a green shirt at home I had planned on wearing but it didn't feel right any more. I didn't have my powers so wearing green wasn't really my role for the time being. I shoved that thought from my mind. Let's try to focus on one nerve wracking situation at a time. I tucked my hands into my tan dress pants and leaned against a tree on the right of the school entrance. The wind was blowing slightly, my tie moving in the air with it.

The sound of girls giggling made me look up. My heart fell when I saw it wasn't Kim and Trini. I frowned. What if she had changed her mind and wasn't coming? A panic induced sweat formed in my palms. Had I just gotten so excited that she thought it was lame or desperate of me? Kim was so beautiful, she could have her pick of any guy in this school. Hell, everyone thought she was with Jason when I first moved here. A couple of the guys in my karate class had even asked me because they thought she was pretty and wanted to see if she was available. Someone with that many choices would be an idiot to settle for me. I was the new kid. The guy who hadn't even been able to keep his powers like everyone else. If that wasn't pathetic, I don't know what was. I should have brought flowers or chocolates with me. That's what people do on first dates, right? God, why was I such an idiot? No wonder she had decided to stand me up.

* * *

"Trini, I don't know about this dress." I said, looking down at the light pink satin gown I had on. It had a sweetheart neckline and a skirt that puffed out to my knees. It had been incredibly cute on the rack when I had bought. Now as I saw myself in it, I wasn't too sure how I felt about it on me.

"Kim, that's the eighth dress you've put on tonight. Ninth if you count the time you put it on first. You look beautiful. Tommy is going to think the same thing." She said, smiling at me as we walked through the park. We had decided to walk to the dance, needing the much needed fresh air and the distance for girl talk. She had been right. I had brought basically my whole wardrobe to her house this afternoon and had forced her to see me try them on. I had finally decided on this one once I realized we only had an hour to the dance and I still had to do my hair and makeup. We were edging towards being late, a pang of guilt in my chest.

"I just hope he doesn't look like a troll." I frowned. I had managed to get my makeup spot on but my hair was having a mind of its own tonight. It was frizzy at the ends and I had a piece that was refusing to curl the way I had wanted it to. I had finally opted to putting it in a pun with a couple curled pieces hanging down. If it was any sign of how tonight was going to go, I should just switch schools now.

"You don't! Now, relax. Remember, Tommy asked you to the dance for a reason." She said, taking my hand in hers. "Plus, you two already kissed. I'm sure there won't be anything to worry about. It's Tommy."

"I know." I replied, sighing. We came up to the cross walk that went through the main intersection of town and to the back parking lot of the school. Our school mates were lingering around cars, sneaking in last minute cigarettes before heading inside. I knew Mr. Caplan would lose a hair plug if he came out here right now. Trini hummed next to me, swinging her purse in her hand. There was a smile on her lips I couldn't help but notice. The flowy yellow dress she was wearing made her legs seem to stretch for miles and her slender figure look full in the right places. I felt like a dwarf next to her. "You seem happy." I said, eying her.

"I am! Tonight will be fun." She said, shrugging her shoulder.

"And it has nothing to do with a certain red ranger I know?" I asked in a hushed voice. A blush spread across her cheeks and she slapped my arm.

"I'm never telling you anything in confidence again." She muttered, rolling her eyes.

"Oh, c'mon, Trini! I think the two of you would be adorable together. And you know Jason is crazy about you too. Just because he won't admit it. You know boys."

"I'll admit it as soon as he does." She replied.

"Well, that's a stalemate then." I said flatly. We rounded the corner of the school and I could see the front entrance. Standing by it, I spotted Tommy right away. He was leaning against the wall next to the door, a crisp and clean white dress shirt making him stand out. He wore a green tie that he was fighting to keep in place from the wind. He was looking the other way, lost in thought as we continued to wall.

"He sure looks handsome." Trini said, elbowing me in the arm.

"He does. I look like a hag." I frowned.

"Stop it. You know he is going to think you are the most beautiful person here tonight." She said reassuringly as she put a hand on my shoulder. We were about thirty feet away from Tommy now and he finally turned his head to face us. His hair was combed back out of his face and I could see the look of awe come over his features. I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not but I smiled at him nonetheless.

"Hi, Tommy." Trini said as we came to a stop in front of him. Tommy stepped forward, stumbling slightly on a rock by his feet. Trini suppressed a giggle as she looked over at me.

"You came." He said, smiling at me.

"You did invite me, Tommy." I replied, clasping my hands in front of me. "Right?"

"Huh? Yeah! Of course! I'm just glad you're here. You look beautiful." He turned to Trini. "You look amazing too, Trini."

"Well, thank you. If you guys don't mind, I'll go track down the rest of the boys." She said, stepping towards the door. Tommy opened it for her.

"They're in there. They got us a table."

"Great! See you in there." She shot me a wink over her shoulder before disappearing inside. The door shut behind her, leaving Tommy and I standing in a bit of an awkward silence. We shot each other glances quick, mixed with nervous smiles. I took a deep breath.

"You look great." I said, nodding towards him. "I really like the tie." I gave him a wink and he let out a chuckle, adjusting it.

"Thanks. Wasn't quite sure if I was still worthy of the color, though."

"Tommy, you know you'll always be one of us. I think you should wear the color as much as you want. There's only one Green ranger and even if you're inactive, you still are the green ranger." I said, reaching out and squeezing his hand. He smiled, gazing down at me.

"Thanks, Kim. That means a lot to me."

"You're welcome. Now, how about we head inside? I don't think they will bring the party out to us if we stay here."

"Sure!" Tommy pulled the door open again. As he did, I heard a bird let out a loud screech. Glancing up, Tommy and I watched as a big crow flew over head. I heard something splatter and Tommy swore. Turning to him, I saw that the bird had gifted him a loving parting present of shit all the way down his left shoulder.

"Oh no!" I gasped, covering my mouth with my hand. Tommy gazed at his shoulder in disbelief.

"Well...that happened." He muttered, pulling at his shirt.

"Hold on." I said, opening my purse. I dug through it until I found a couple makeup removing wipes. "Here." I stepped closer to him and wiped away what I could. I did my best not to smear it into the white fabric. He rubbed the back of his head with his other hand as I worked. For the most part, it came out. There was a wet mark there with a little darkness but nothing a good washing wouldn't cure.

"Thanks." He said, taking the soiled wipes from me. "Let's get inside before it comes back to finish me off."

* * *

Really? I spend the last 12 hours making sure everything about tonight was going to be perfect and a bird decides to have diarrhea all over me? Sometimes, I wonder if all the luck I have to bad. I held the door open for Kim and we walked into the school. The mob that had been by the gym doors earlier as they waited to get in were gone, a few people trickling in. I put my hand on the small of Kim's back, hoping she couldn't feel how clammy they were through her dress. She looked gorgeous, a dress that was literally made for her. I had never seen her in a shade of pink I didn't like on her but this one was taking the cake for sure. It made her smile sparkle and I couldn't help but stare at her as we walked. The sound of music pumped from the gym, vibrating the floor slightly. Walking through the double doors, I saw the main lights of the gym were off and colored lights set up by the DJ were illuminating the area. Flashes of different colors passed by as we walked around the edge of the gym. Tables were set up on the outskirts of the dance floor which was directly in the middle of the gym. People were dancing now, doing moves that made me wonder why people act the way they do.

"Oh dear." Kim said, pointing at a couple of girls who were grinding against members of the football team. I shook my head, looking at her. I spotted Jason and the rest of the group sitting at a table in the back corner. Taking Kim's hand, I headed towards them. I couldn't help but notice that Trini was sitting next to Jason, the two of them much closer than Billy and Zack were sitting. I smirked at Jason who returned the motion, pointing at us. Trini looked over her shoulder in our direction and smiled.

"Hey guys." Trini said, shifting away from Jason a bit. I pulled the chair out next to her for Kim who sat down. I took the seat next to her, sitting with Billy on my other side.

"What are Jenna and Leeanne doing out there?" Kim asked, leaning forward towards Trini. She shook her head.

"Who knows. They've been doing it since I walked in. Some people just don't know how to use their words to get people to like them I suppose." She replied. Kim nodded, turning to face me. I gave her a small smile, the sound over the loudspeaker shifting into a slow song. I felt my mouth instantly go dry as everyone on the dance floor began to pair off. Zack stood up, adjusting his tie.

"If you excuse me, I have someone to find." He said, heading off into the crowd. Billy sighed, shaking his head.

"He'll never learn." Billy said. I nodded, panic filling my chest.

"Um..Kim?" I asked, tapping her arm. "Do you wanna dance?"

"Sure." She replied, smiling brightly at me. I stood up and pushed my chair in, holding my hand out to her. She took it, standing. Slowly, I led her out to the dance floor. I didn't venture too far deep into it, afraid of bumping into anyone. Stopping, I looked at her.

"I'm not very good at this." I admitted, feeling lame.

"It's easy." She replied, stepping closer to me. She grabbed my right hand and placed it on her waist line. I felt my heart jump into my throat. "And then this one goes here." She took my other hand and put it so it was symmetric with the other. I knew my heart was racing now. I could feel it knocking against my Adam's apple. She put her hands on my shoulders. "Now we sort of sway and shuffle out feet back and forth until the song is over."

"O-o-okay." I stammered out, leaning to one side. She let out a small giggle as it was more of a bend than a sway.

"Relax, Tommy. You're doing fine." She said, giving my shoulders a reassuring squeeze. I felt my nerves begin to calm as we fell into a gentle swaying motion. "Better?"

"Yeah. Thanks. I don't know why I'm so nervous. I just want tonight to go good, you know?"

"I get it." She said, smiling up at me. "I think you'll have more fun if you don't worry about everything, okay?"

"Okay." I felt myself smile as she stepped closer to me. She rested her head on my shoulder and I wrapped my arms tighter around her small frame. Over her head, I saw that Jason and Trini were dancing not far from us as well as Angela and Zack. Billy had even found someone to dance with, a girl from the math team I believe. They were dancing at the edge of the group, talking as they swayed together. I eyed Trini and Jason as they danced, both of them smiling at each other with sparkling eyes. I smiled.

"They're cute, aren't they?" Kim asked, glancing to look up at me. I nodded. "I sure hope they end up together. They deserve each other."

"They do. They're a good team too." I replied. The song came to a close and the couples slowly moved apart, heading back to tables or their groups to start dancing to the next song.

"Want to keep dancing?" She asked, standing on her tippy toes to talk in my ear.

"Only if you want some bruised toes tomorrow." I joked. She giggled, unwrapping her arms from me. I reluctantly let go and followed her as she headed back to the table. Trini was sitting again, Billy and his new friend standing near the table. Jason nodded at me.

"I'm going to get some punch. Wanna help?" He asked. I nodded. I pulled Kim's chair out and she sat down. Bending, I put a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm going with Jase to get something to drink. Do you want something?" I asked. She nodded.

"Yes, please. Thank you." She smiled as I stood up. Tucking my hands into my pockets, I walked over to Jason who was waiting for me. Following the edge of the dance floor, we headed over to the refreshments table where Miss Appleby was handing out juice and cookies, making sure that no one was able to spike the punch.

"I told you that you had nothing to worry about, man." Jason said, grabbing two cups of juice in one hand. He grabbed a third in his other.

"I know. I can't help it though. It's Kim. I don't want to screw this up." I replied, following his lead.

"You're not going to. You guys are going to hang out, dance a bit, and then when you walk her home, seal the deal. That's all."

"What do you mean 'seal the deal'?" I questioned, raising an eyebrow at him. "Like try to make a move on her?"

"What? No!" He exclaimed. "For one, Kim is like my little sister. Gross, dude. I mean kiss her. If you can manage to get a kiss out of her tonight, you're golden. Trust me."

"Yeah? Is that the plan you have going with Trini too?" He let out a scoffing noise.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He replied, shrugging his shoulders.

"Right. Sure, you don't." I muttered, rolling my eyes. "Just ask the girl out, man. She's totally into you."

"Trini isn't like that. She's different than other girls. I don't know how to describe it, honestly." His face fell. "She's way too smart to like a guy like me."

"Don't talk like that. Need I remind you that you're the leader of the Power Rangers?" I whispered loud enough for only him to hear. "Besides, the way she looks at you gives it all away. I wished Kim looked at me the way Trini looks at you."

"She does. You just aren't looking. Believe me, We've had to hear how hot you were since the moment you rolled into town." He said, taking a sip of juice. "But don't tell her I said that or she'll murder me."

"Really?" I asked, grinning like an idiot. "She thought I was hot?"

"Calm the ego." He replied, rolling his eyes. He headed back to the table, balancing the cups in his hands. We set them down in the middle of the table when we arrived, making sure there was enough for everyone. Zack was still missing from his spot, chasing after Angela more than likely. I handed Kim a glass and sat down.

"Thanks." She said, taking a sip of it. I did as well, nearly downing my drink in a couple gulps. She giggled, looking at me. "Thirsty?"

"A little." I breathed, setting the empty cup down on the table. "Now what?"

"We have fun." She replied.

* * *

Tommy stayed by my side for most of the night. He was nice enough to give me space when I needed it and made sure that he wasn't smothering me when I was talking to Trini. We danced to a number of slow songs and I did my best to help Zack teach him how to dance to faster songs. With as graceful he was at karate, it was shocking how horrible at dancing he was. We elected to stick with the slow songs, something I was enjoying. It felt natural to be in Tommy's arms and I was finding it hard to believe it was really happening. I could see him loosen up the more the night progressed, him taking the lead when we danced more than he had before. He was smiling more as well, the stress of nervousness seeming to melt away each time he looked at me. I was glad he was having a good time. I was as well, loving every moment we spent together.

"Ladies and gentlemen! It's time for the last song of the evening. Let's make it a slow one, shall we?" The DJ said, speaking into the microphone. The fast paced song he had been playing before ended and the bars turned into a sweet melody throughout the gym. Kids had started to file out before that, heading home or to the after party that the football team was throwing at someone's house. Tommy led me out to the dance floor again, this time wrapping his arms around me more easily that the first time. I wrapped my arms around his neck and gazed up at him.

"Did you have fun tonight?" He asked, looking down at me. I nodded.

"I did. The night's not over yet though. We still have a little time."

"Did you want to check out the party? I was invited."

"Nah. As much as I would love to hang out with the drunk Angel Grove football team, my mother would kill me if she knew I went to a party. Did you want to go?" Tommy shook his head.

"No. It's not really my thing either. The guy who invited me didn't even know my name. He called the the Karate Guy when he asked me to come. Pretty sure it was to get you there."

"I doubt it." I said, grinning at his flattery. "Those guys know that isn't my scene. I'm usually the only cheerleader that isn't at the parties."

"That's good, though. You're standing up for yourself. I think more people should do that. Most people think that high school is about seeing how drunk you can get before your parents find out. Of course, you guys have a bit more responsibility than the rest of us." I frowned, seeing the sadness in his eyes.

"I wish Zordon could have done something for you, Tommy." I said softly. "It wasn't fair what happened to you. You're a great ranger and deserve to be on the team with us."

"I liked being on the team but I know he tried everything he could. Who knows? Maybe someday I can help you guys fight Rita again. For now though, I think I'm going to focus on karate and my grades. My mom might kill me if my math grade sinks anymore."

"Tell me about it. I thought mine was going to strangle me with my history test last week. Rita needs to give us homework time or else I'm going to be grounded until I'm thirty."

"We can be grounded together." He said, smirking at me. "I mean, might be boring but we can wallow together."

"Sounds good to me." I replied. Tommy and I swayed to the music together, our arms wrapped around each other. I spotted Trini and Jason dancing together again and smiled. Those two were going to be the death of me if they don't realize how well they work together. Trini had told me in the bathroom earlier that she was enjoying her time dancing with him tonight but she was wishing he would just ask her out. I know Tommy had told Jason to do just that but he didn't. I didn't know what was going on in my best friend's head but he was going to get an ear full tomorrow when I see him.

The song came to an end and the crowd applauded. The lights of the gym turned on and the remaining students began to group up before filing out the door. Tommy and I met Billy, Trini, and Jason by the door. Zack had left already, leaving with Angela about an hour ago. I had a suspicion they had gone to the party. That was totally Zack's thing and loved going where the action was. I didn't see Angela as that type of person but she had left with him. I'll never figure those two out.

"You guys up for a late dinner?" Jason asked as we slowly walked across the parking lot. The front circle was filled with cars, waiting for kids to come out of the building. Trini shot me a look, telling me that I best turn down the invitation.

"Actually, Tommy is going to walk me home and teach me a couple of karate moves." I said, grabbing Tommy's arm. He gave me a confused look. I narrowed my eyes at him for a moment. It took a bit to click but he nodded, turning to Jase.

"Yeah. Sorry, man. But you and Trini could catch a bite. You both look hungry." He said, putting his hand on my back again. "We'll see you guys tomorrow."

"Bye!" Trini called, waving over her shoulder. I saw Jason shoot Tommy a look before he led Trinin through the parking lot.

"Subtle." I said, smirking at him. Tommy sighed, rubbing the back of his head.

"I was on the spot! I didn't know what else to say."

"I could tell. C'mon." I took his hand in mine and started walking towards Main Street and the park. "We can take the long way back to my house."

"Aren't you afraid of missing curfew?" He asked, trailing behind me as I walked. I shook my head.

"I haven't had a curfew since the divorce. Besides, my mom works late tonight. She won't be home until I'm asleep." I replied. I felt his hand grow clammy in mine and I surprised a giggle. It was incredibly easy to make Tommy nervous and it was amusing at this point. Seeing him like this was unusual. The well trained, typically cool in the face of danger, Tommy Oliver almost becomes a bumbling fool when he's around me. Maybe I should keep that in mind when we're on the battlefield. I would hate for it to happen when we're squaring off against Goldar or one of Rita's monsters. Of course, it didn't matter now, did it? He no longer had his powers. It made me sad to think about, knowing he had so much more to offer our team. I stroked the top of his hand with my thumb as we starting walking towards the park.

"It's a nice night." Tommy said, lifting his head to look up at the night sky. I did the same, seeing stars twinkling in the ink black span of night.

"Careful. Knowing our luck, it's going to rain." I replied, grinning at him. Tommy let out a chuckle, nodding.

"Ain't that the truth." He sighed.

* * *

My nerves were on edge as Kim and I walked through the park. It was quiet, the only sound coming from our low voices and our feet on the walkway. The sound of her laughter rang throughout the night and it sounded like music to my ears each time I heard it. If it was the only sound I could hear for the rest of my life, I would die a happy man. It was becoming increasingly more apparent just how perfect she was and how I was tempting fate just by holding her hand.

We left the park, heading towards Maple Street where I knew her house was. I've walked her home before but not like this. I kept picturing what would happen when we got there and the number of ways everything could go wrong. Jason's words came to mind, telling me that if she kissed me, I would be in for sure. Would she want to kiss me again? She hadn't made a motion to do so yet tonight. Did she not want to? Was I that bad of a kisser the first time that she didn't want to do it again? It wasn't my fault I was inexperienced. I blamed it on my parents constantly moving and girls not wanting to give me the time of day. Jesus, Oliver. You are a loser.

On the left side of the street, Kim's house appeared. It was a two story home that was painted white on the outside, red shutters on the windows. There was porch attached to the front of it, the light on. It seemed to be the only light on, the rest of the house dark. She had said her mother was not home yet. That thought made sweat form all over my body. I was getting ahead of myself there. I was freaking out about a possible kiss. Thinking it was going to be anything more than that possibility was insane. Besides, that would be rushing things and I didn't want to do that.

The stairs creaked as we walked up them, stopping outside of her door. Kim reached inside her purse of her key, pulling it out between her thumb and pointer finger. Letting her arms drop to her side, she smiled up at me with that smile that made my knees weak. My heart thundered in my chest.

"I had a great night tonight, Tommy. Thank you for asking me to go." She said.

"I did too. Thank you for coming. You looked beautiful by the way, if I didn't mention that before."

"You might have a time or two." She replied, smirking at me. "But a girl doesn't get tired of hearing it."

"I can tell you that every day." I said softly, taking her hands in mine. I felt her key now in both our palms. "Every time I see you, it's the first thing that crosses my mind." A blush spread across her cheeks as she averted her gaze down to our hands.

"I think you might need glasses." She joked, facing up towards me again. "But thank you."

"Anytime." I felt a dry lump form in the back of my throat as silence fell over us. This was it. It was now or never. "Kim, I really like spending time with you. I love our friendship and really hope that things between us don't change." I said. I watched, in horror, as her face fell.

"Oh. Right." She said, nodding. "Our friendship. You want to be friends." Shit. Shit. Shit. What the hell had I done? "You're right. I value our friendship too."

"No. That's not what I meant. I don't want to be friends." She looked at me confused, almost offended.

"You don't want to be my friend anymore?" Good God, get it together, Tommy!

"I am worse at this than dancing I guess. What I'm trying to say is that I don't want to be just friends. I would like to take you out again, if that would be okay." Her face lit up in a bright smile and she nodded.

"I'd like that. Are you free tomorrow night? I know we're hanging out with the guys in the afternoon but I'd love to go see a movie or something." I smiled, relief flooding through me.

"Sure! You pick the movie. It'll be my treat."

"Hope you like cheesy chick flicks." She teased. I laughed, shaking my head.

"Well, I guess if it means spending time with you, it'll be worth it." I released her hands and headed towards the stairs. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" I said, stopping on the second step from the top. The possibilities of our date tomorrow ran through my head. Where would I take her for dinner? Should I bring extra money in case she wanted popcorn? What would I wear? What would she expect me to do during the movie?

"Tommy, aren't you forgetting something?" She asked. I looked at her, confused.

"What do you mean?" I asked. She sighed, shaking her head as she walked towards me. Due to her being two steps higher than me, we were at eye level for one. Placing her hands on my shoulders, she leaned in and pressed her lips to mine. My eyes widened in shock at first but I quickly recovered, putting my hands on her waist. It felt like fireworks were going off inside my head, all the stress and worry from the night now instantly gone. All that mattered right now was this moment right here.

"Good night, Tommy." Kim said when she pulled away. She gave me another quick kiss before heading towards her door. She unlocked it and glanced over her shoulder at me.

"Goodnight, Kim." I said. She shot me a wink before disappearing inside. Tucking my hands in my pockets, I jogged down her steps and started up the sidewalk towards my house. I could feel the bounce in each step now, the wide smile on my face.

What had I been worried about exactly?


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Heyyyyyy! Sorry for such a long wait between one-shots. This one took me some time to write. It's my longest one to date and I was so close to making it it's on stand alone fic but decided this was a better platform. This came from an idea I had a couple months ago that I started and then life sent me a different direction. I hope you guys enjoy it.**

**Warning: Lots and lots of Kat bashing and the chapter is rated M for a couple of reasons.**

**As always, R&R and send me some more ideas!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

**The Elevator**

_**Kimberly**_

The sun was beating down on the pavement, the black absorbing the heat from the rays. I could feel it through the bottom of my heels, the stilettos clicking across the parking lot as I made my way from the car that the event had provided for me. The driver, an older and puffy looking man by the name of Paul, was walking in front of me as we made our way towards the Bicycle Hotel and Casino. It was a lavish place, the towering white building seeming to look down at us as we walked closer from the private event parking lot in the back of the building. We had passed the front of the place on our way here, the name of the casino written in bright lights on the overhang. Brilliant pillars of blue lights had supported it and people had been milling around the entrance, more than likely waiting for the festivities of the night to begin.

"Miss Hart, do you want to go to the performance space to practice or would you like to see your room first?" Paul asked, looking at me over his shoulder.

"I could use some freshening up I think." I replied, giving him a small smile. He nodded, stopping in front of a glass door as we finally stood next to the building. He gestured for me to enter and I did, leaving the blazing sun behind me as the cool air of the casino lapped at me in a comfortable manner. Paul came in behind me, seeming to enjoy the nice coolness of the room. I saw we were standing in a private car port area of the hotel, other drivers and staff unloading suitcases walking around the area. It was decorated in reds and golds, the walls a deep orange color that made everything feel warm even with the A/C on high. Paul motioned towards a set of silver elevators and I followed behind him. Pressing the button, the elevator dinged and the green area above it lit up. It was pointing down, telling me it was coming from a higher level. A few seconds later, the doors opened and we climbed on. Paul pressed the button of the 18th floor and stepped back. I leaned against the wall in the corner of the elevator, looking forward to peeling these shoes off. They were cutting into my ankle and my pinky toes, making it hard to walk. At least the shoes I had packed for tonight wouldn't hurt this much.

"How often do you do events for charity?" Paul asked, smiling towards me.

"I try to do it as much as possible. This benefit just happened to fall during an open spot in my tour." I replied.

"That's very fortunate for the Angel Grove Foundation. I'm sure with you performing, they will be able to raise a great deal of money for the disaster relief fund." The elevator steadily rose, sometimes shuddering as we passed a floor.

"I hope so. It's the least I can do for Angel Grove." The elevator came to a stop before dinging again, the doors opening. Paul allowed me to step off first, him stepping passed me and heading to the left. I followed again, passing doors on each side of me. The hall was a cream color with a deep red carpet that sank as I stepped on it. Expensive painting prints hung on the walls and room numbers were printed on the doors with brass numbers. He came to a stop outside of room 1811. Pulling a hotel key card from his pocket, he swiped the card through the reader. The light went from red to green and I could hear the lock click. Turning the handle, he opened the door for me to enter.

"I'll let you get settled in. Your bags should already be here as well. Please let me know if you need anything." He stated as I passed him. I found myself standing in a rather large suite, the living area around me. Turning to Paul, I thanked him by handing him a twenty doller bill. He nodded before leaving. Once the door was shut, I sighed and pulled my heels off. Tossing them to the side, I loved the cool feeling of my feet on the stone tile underneath them. The living room portion of the suite was made of blacks, greys and whites. The floor was a black stone tile with a white carpet under black leather couches. A big screen TV was mounted on the wall opposite of me, a roaring fireplace that was lit underneath it. To the left of the living room, there were two doors and on the right, one. I decided to check out the right first, finding a bathroom. Here, I saw it had the same tiling as well as a large walk in shower. Everything seemed to be touch screen here, the device mounted on the wall next to the glass shower door. Towels were hung neatly on hoop racks on both sides of the sink and a large mirror filled up half the wall.

Leaving the bathroom, I went to the other rooms. The first was a bedroom where I found my luggage stacked neatly in a pile next to the bed. Like the other rooms, this was also hues of grey and white. The bed had a cloth grey headboard and white bedding. The walls were painted a light grey color and ink paintings hung on the walls above it. There was a door in here and I saw it connected to a walk-in closet that was the other room. My clothes were hanging in here, the dress I would be wearing tonight on it's own rack. My shoes were also set up on a shelf in here, the heels looking more fabulous in the uplighting than they had when my designer showed me them.

Turning, I headed back to the bedroom where I plopped on the bed. Soon, I would need to head down to rehearsal for my performance at the benefit. As much as I hated to admit it, I didn't want to be here right now. I knew that making these types of appearances was good for my image and my career. My publicist had repeated this to me about fifteen times since I told her I had received a call from my childhood friend, Trini Kwan, about doing this. It wasn't that I didn't want to do something good for charity. It was for a great cause. The money would be going towards those that were displaced by the fires this past year. I just wish that I could have just donated a crap ton of money like I usually did. But Trini said that it would make a big difference if I could donate my time this year rather than my money. I agreed but only because she guilt tripped me into it. She'd always had a knack for doing that type of thing and she knew just what to say to do it. "What good is it having a pop star for a best friend if I can't exploit you for monetary gain?" She had asked. I didn't know what was more annoying about it; the fact she called me a pop star or the fact she was right.

About ten years ago, I left Angel Grove, California where I grew up and headed to Florida. I left for gymnastics, did my time doing that and then found that singing meant more to me. I worked on my career in Miami, singing in every dive bar I could. I graduated from dive bars to clubs and soon, I was making enough money to afford my own demo. I made one of them, sending it to a bunch of places across the country. As luck would have it, an executive at Big Machine Records in Nashville loved my voice and called me to discuss some things. Three months later, I was signing a contract and gearing up to be the opening act for a number of bands around town. I relocated to Nashville to help my career. Opening up for smaller country stars was good but I wanted to more. I bid my time though and it paid off. I was asked to join an up and coming country group on tour as their opening act. It paved my way into a career. A CD followed that and it sold like hot cakes. The tour ended and the record label asked me to make another CD and to headline my own tour the next year. That went well and now, four CDs and three and a half tours under my belt, I have a successful music career. I recently won Album of the Year at the Country Music Awards and I've been nominated for three Grammys. If I win, I'll have four to claim.

So it wasn't the charity work or the fact I was performing that was making me regret my decision. Tonight was all about raising money. It was called a Night Among the Stars. It was a chance for regular people to buy a ticket to hangout with famous people. There were singers, musicians, actors, famous athletes here. People who are usually paid thousands of dollars just to make an appearance, all donating their time tonight to help raise money. It had been quite the list of A-list celebs too when my publicist, Janice, had shown it to me. George Clooney, Tom Hanks, and Julie Andrews had been on there as well as my friends of Rascal Flatts and Brooks and Dunn. It was the event to be at and it was something that had been sold out for months now. I knew it was a good cause, a fun night on paper, and a dinner made by some world famous chefs.

The part I was dreading the most of the athlete portion of the audience. When I had skimmed the list, one name had popped out more than anyone. It wasn't Tiger Woods or A-Rod. It was towards the end, under the other MMA fighters. If I could manage the whole night without catching a glimpse of HIM, tonight would actually be a success.

* * *

_**Tommy**_

"How does this suit look?" Jon Jones asked me for what felt like the hundredth time that hour. I looked up from my spot near the window and nodded towards the Africian American young man. He was in the same suit he had tried on earlier, the dark blue tones popping against the darker color of his skin.

"Yeah, man. I think it looks great." I replied. He glanced down and did a little twirl. Nodding, he smiled over at me.

"You might be right. Good call, Oliver." He headed towards the closet, a hop in his step. Rolling my eyes, I returned my gaze out the window as I looked out over the skyline of Los Angeles. The Bicycle Hotel and Casino was decked out tonight, bright lights set up in the front entryway and sculptures of various gods and goddesses were placed around the area as well. Below, I could make out people standing in line to get into the door for the benefit. Traffic was starting to get backed up and a police officer was signalling cars on one end of the road. "You might want to finish getting ready."

"Why?" I called. "We have another hour before the thing even starts."

"Yeah but they typically let us go in early to watch rehearsal and stuff. Plus we can get our seats earlier." He replied back from the closet area.

I liked Jon. He was one of my first friends when I joined the MMA circuit. He was new as well, trying to pick up everything he could as he trained. We often teamed up, hoping to hone the skills to the point where we could get into real matches. Ours were typically the matches that they would have before the broadcasting would begin. Though we had an audience, that type of fighter didn't make as much money as those who were headlining Pay-Per-View events. We kept training, promising to make it into the time slot. It took two years but we did make it there. We faced off against some tough opponents but we were able to make it on broadcast television for the world to see. Now, Jon isn't as active with the fighting as much as he is about training me for my next fight. He's good company and a great guy. Granted he could be a little pig headed at times, he meant well in all other aspects.

"You can go on ahead. I wanted to grab a shower anyway." I said as he walked back into the living room.

"Sure. I'll save your seat down there." With a small wave, he walked out of our hotel suite. Once he was gone, I looked back out the window again at the group below. Was she there? I thought. No. That's impossible. She's too famous for that. She was probably escorted in by someone the studio or the event paid for. Or she wasn't going to come until it was her time to sing. I wondered for a moment if I would have time to run if that were the case. I liked knowing where she was at all times rather than being surprised. At least, when it came to Kimberly Hart and I being in the same location together.

I hadn't believed it when Jon had first read the list of live performers when we got the invites at the gym. He couldn't understand why I hadn't been to thrilled to hear that Kimberly Hart, the hottest thing on the country charts right now, was going to be in attendance. He had even gone as far to say that he would sell a body part off for charity if it meant spending some quality one on one time with her. That earned him a jab from me while we were in the ring for reasons he'd never know. He must have just assumed it was my hatred of country music and moved on with his day. Ever since that day, I haven't been able to think of anything else besides this event.

I had been asked by my friend, Trini Kwan, to donate some of my time and money for the event. She was one of the co-chairs of the community and was hopeful to get as many celebrities there that she could. From what I could tell from the list, she had one hell of a turn out for tonight. During her pleading, it seemed she had forgotten to mention the fact Kim would be here. It was sneaky as shit and sounded like something one of our friends would do. I wouldn't be surprised if her husband, Jason Scott, had been in the background helping her scheme up the whole plan. The two of them have never been as subtle as they thought they were but they had surely got the upper hand in this case.

"Hey, honey?" A female voice called from the bedroom. I turned, seeing my wife, Katherine, walk through the doorway. Or at least someone who sort of resembled my wife. I sighed internally when I saw her. The tall blonde smiled at me, telling me that her recent Botox injection had begun to wear off. It had been a few days and she hadn't been able to make much facial movements since then. She wanted to make sure she looked perfect tonight, not a sign of age anywhere to be seen on her face. 'I didn't spend all of this money to not show it off!' she had said when I asked her why she needed another round of plastic surgery once we learned of the event. I was pretty certain it was because she knew Kim was going to be here and she wanted to gloat in her face about our marriage and my money she was spending.

"Yeah?" I asked, noticing her long blonde hair was curled around her head and she had pulled on the skin tight red dress she had purchased just for the event. It was low cut with thin straps and stopped at her mid thigh, not leaving any need for imagination. She also had her heavy makeup on, looking like she was going out for a night on the town for the next three weeks. She did look pretty but it just wasn't doing it for me. It hadn't in about three years now but I didn't dare say anything. Hell, if word got around that I had offended her based on her looks, all it would take is one wrong tweet and I'd never work again.

"You about ready to go?" She asked, stepping towards me. Her tall red high heels clicked on the tile under our feet. She frowned when she saw I still wasn't dressed. "Tommy, what are you waiting for? The event to actually start?"

"No. Jon was hogging the bathroom." I lied. "I'm going to hop in the shower now. It'll only be a minute." She pouted, putting her hands on her hips.

"The bar is already open down there. By the time we get there, we'll have to fight to get a drink before sitting."

"You can go on ahead without me. Jon's down there now." I offered, shrugging my shoulders as I turned back to look out the window.

"Okay!" She exclaimed, cheerfully. "Don't take forever, sour puss. The free booze and food won't last long. Especially after they let the other people in." She said, referring to the people who had spent good money on tickets to meet their idols. I closed my eyes, maintaining my patience.

"Will do." I sighed. I heard her heels click across the tile floor and then she was out of the suite without as much as a good-bye. I figured she wouldn't mind going to hang out with Jon. The two of them have been sleeping together for about a year now. At least from what I could tell. I only found out about it from the security footage from our home system. It caught the two of them together in our pool. Kat must have thought she turned the system off but the backup system had turned on. I got to see the two of them together on various surfaces of my house while I was out at another charity event that Jon couldn't attend due to his mother having health issues. It seemed my wife's vagina was the only cure.

I wasn't mad about the cheating though. It was hard to be upset when you simply don't care. I'd get a divorce if it wasn't for the fact it would be horrible for my image to break up with my hot wife and lose the only friend I had on the circuit. Plus, she'd probably end up with half of my shit since we hadn't gotten a prenup before getting married. I hadn't known at 21 how successful I'd be now. I guess hindsight is a bitch. I'd love to be able to go back in time and stop myself from marrying her. Of course, there were other things I would do as well that include a particular country singer who was somewhere in the building possibly at this moment.

Sighing again, I ran a hand over my short hair and turned towards the bathroom. My suit was hanging in it's protective bag off the door, waiting for me. It was time to get ready and plaster my persona on my face, something I was better at than fighting I think. With any luck, I'll be able to avoid a certain petite brunette for the entire night.

* * *

_**Kimberly**_

Emerging from the shower, I wrapped a towel around myself and walked into the bedroom. Glancing at the clock, I saw I only had a few more minutes before I needed to be down for rehearsal and soundcheck. I had done my best to keep my hair up and out of the water, it being curled earlier this morning. I pulled it out of the cap and saw it had stayed in its shape mostly. I slapped on a light layer of makeup before pulling on my dress. It was a pink lace number, a sweetheart neckline without any straps. It had been fitted to me perfectly, a built in bra to hold it up. The skirt flowed to my knees and it was comfortable for me to perform in. I had made sure of it while going for my final fitting. Grabbing my shoes from the closet, I shoved my feet into them and grabbed my clutch purse from the suitcase that matched it. I tucked the key card for the door into the purse before heading out the door. I thought about grabbing my cell phone but it had died on the way here and I had forgotten to put it on the charger when I arrived. I shook it off, knowing I was going to be too busy mingling and singing to need it. Besides, Janice would be sure to post pictures of me on my social media accounts while I performed. She was younger than me and knew how to be on top of that kind of stuff.

In the hallway, I heard heels coming towards me. Glancing up, I saw a tall blonde woman approaching and I had to do a double take to realize I knew her. Katherine Hillard was strutting herself down the length of the hall, scrolling through her phone. She looked extremely different than the last time I saw her. Where her face had been young and flawless, it was filled with enough plastic to consider it recyclable. Speaking of plastic, her breasts had also grown a size or five more. I was thrown off by how huge they were and how much they were sticking out in the dress she had painted on her. I guess she had found a way to spend Tommy's money. I knew the two of them had gotten married a few years after we had broken up. I never imagined that she would let herself look like one of those plastic surgery cases gone wrong though.

Hoping to avoid a conversation, I turned back to my door and pretended like I was trying to open in. She walked right by me, not even looking up from her phone as she passed. She went right to the elevator, pressed the button and disappeared inside of it once it arrived. I let out the breath I was holding once she was gone, dread filling in. If she was on this floor, it meant that Tommy was somewhere on this floor as well. I opened my hotel door again and slipped inside, leaning against the back of it. Should I call down stairs and request a room change? Chances are, they were close enough where I'd hear their trashy sex noises all night. The thought made my skin crawl. It was bad enough that we all had to be here at the same time. I was hoping to get by this with minimal contact with the guy.

"Get ahold of yourself." I said, mentally gripping my senses. It's been ten years almost since all that crap went down between us. I was so much more now than I was back then. It was his mistake for not trying to fix things between us. It wasn't my fault he was married to THAT now when we could have been together. I had so much better things going on for me right now than to worry about an ex-boyfriend. Smiling, I nodded to no one and grabbed the door knob of my door. I pulled the door open and headed back in the hallway. I saw it was empty to my relief and I made my way over to the elevator. I pressed the button and stepped back, waiting for one of the sets of doors to open. The light above the doors on the right lit up, telling me it was coming from the floors above me. I stepped closer to it, double checking I had everything I needed.

The elevator dinged and I heard the doors slid open. I moved to step in, lifting my head. I froze just inside of the doors when I realized I wasn't alone. Standing in the corner of the elevator was a man dressed in a dark grey suit, a light grey dress shirt under the coat. He wore a black tie with it, a pocket square matching it. Large sunglasses covered his eyes, a stubble on his chin forming a goatee matching the dark brown hair that was cut short and gelled on his head. The entire elevator smelled of expensive cologne and when the person realized he wasn't alone, he looked up from his cell phone in his hands.

"Kim." Tommy Oliver said, raising his eyebrows. I saw them slightly over the lenses of his sunglasses. Behind me, I felt the doors slide shut, trapping me in the lift with him. I fought the urge to turn and claw them open as the elevator jerked lightly to start heading down. What was he doing here? Why was he on here if we had been on the same floor?

"Well, fuck." I muttered under my breath. "That happened a lot faster than I thought it would."

"It's good to see you too." He mused, tucking his hands into his pockets. "I'm fine. THanks for asking."

"I didn't ask because I don't care." I replied, crossing my arms. I glanced at the buttons. We were on the 14th floor. "How about we ride down in silence and continue our ignoring game for the rest of our lives?"

"Fine by me." He said, shrugging his shoulders. I turned away from him, facing the control panel. We rode in silence, the only sound coming from the rope lowering us down. The buttons would light up with every passing floor. I could feel the sweat forming in my palms as I tried to ignore the current situation I was in. Just another five minutes and this horrible experience would be over.

There was a sudden jerk of the entire car, sending both of us flying forward suddenly. I caught myself on the wall, Tommy bumping into me. I elbowed him away, shooting him a glare which he returned. The jerking happened again, followed by a grinding sound. The elevator came to a halt, not moving even slightly. I waited for the doors to open but they didn't. Reaching over, I pressed the open button. Nothing happened. I pressed the ground floor button and had the same results.

"What the fuck." I muttered, pressing harder.

"Press the button." He said, stepping towards me. I glared at him as I slammed my hand on any button.

"What does it fucking look like I'm doing?" I asked. He reached over and tried the same buttons, nothing happening.

"It's not working." He stated. I scoffed.

"No shit. What did I just say?"

"You don't have to be a bitch about everything, you know." He snapped back, pressing a button that had HELP written on it. There was a loud ringing for a couple seconds and he stepped back.

"Well, what was that supposed to do?"

"Call for help. Thus why it says help on it. It probably rings down to the lobby and lets them know someone is trapped in here." He replied, leaning against his corner again. "I'm sure they will get it going again in a minute."

"Pardon me for not taking the word of someone who makes a living getting his head smashed in." I said, opening my purse. I searched for my phone, remembering that it was in my room.

"Says the pop singer." He retorted. I glared at him, pressing the help button again.

"I'm not a pop singer." I snapped. I saw a hidden smirk on his lips when he saw he had gotten under my skin with the comment. I opened my mouth to insult him but was cut off by the sound of an intercom.

"Hello?" A man's voice said.

"Yes! Hi! We're trapped in here." I said, leaning down by the speaker.

"How many people are in there?"

"Two." I replied, glancing at Tommy who had moved a step closer to hear better. I didn't know why. We were in a tiny space. Had fighting caused him to become deaf as well as stupid?

"We're working on getting you down. Might be a bit though." The voice replied.

"A bit? What's a bit?" I asked.

"Looking at an hour or so."

"An hour?!" I exclaimed, putting my hands on either side of the speaker. "What do you mean an hour?"

"We have to wait for the company to come fix it. Hang tight." The intercom shut off abruptly, echoing loudly.

"Well, this should be fun."

* * *

_**Tommy**_

The chances of getting trapped in an elevator? Not that astonishing. The chance of getting trapped in an elevator with your ex-girlfriend? Remind me not to gamble while I here. Well, that is if I get out of here. I watched as Kim tried to call the person who had spoken to us with the help button again but it was no use. It was amusing me slightly seeing her panic at the thought of being trapped here with me. When she finally gave up, she threw her purse on the ground and leaned against the wall.

"I'm glad you think this is funny." She said, shooting me a heated glare.

"I'm not laughing." I said, holding up my hands.

"No but it's written all over your fucking face. Some of us have to perform tonight. Not everyone gets the option of sitting back and enjoying the evening." She crossed her arms.

"Last I checked, it was voluntary based. No one is twisting your arm here."

"Pardon me for being a decent person. Try it sometime." She muttered. I rolled my eyes, pulling my cell from my pocket. Kim's face lit up slightly at the sight of it. I tucked my sunglasses in my suit pocket.

"Some of us come prepared. Guess it's a trait of a not decent person." I replied.

"Shut up and call for help." She snipped and I felt a pang of irritation as I unlocked my phone. I dialed Jon's number and brought it to my ear. IT made a beeping noise in my ear, causing me to look at the screen. The call couldn't connect due to no service. I swore, locking it again.

"I have no service in here." I said. She groaned.

"Of course not. Maybe use some of that MMA money to get a better phone provider instead of pumping your wife full of silicone."

"If you're attempting to not sound jealous, it's not working very well." I shot back. She let out a loud laugh, shaking her head. She looked the same as the Kimberly I remembered, her long chestnut brown hair curled around her face. She wore a light layer of makeup that looked more natural and flattering than Kat ever did. The dress she wore was form fitting in a modest way that reminded me why I liked her in the first place. She was still Kim, all of the same parts that she came with from before.

"Jealous? Jealous of what? Last time I checked, my networth was almost doubled of yours. And it didn't involve me looking like a neanderthal to get it either." I rolled my eyes. This Kim was a bit more snarky than I remembered, her insults going right for the jugular.

"Right. What happens when Taylor Swift asks for her material back? Is that why you stop trying to be five years younger than you are?" I slid my suit coat off and hung it up on the railing connected to the wall on my left. I bent my knees, sitting on the floor of the elevator. "Or is that when you decide to come out with a greatest hits album that no one asked for?"

"What are you doing?" She asked, gesturing to me.

"Sitting. We're gonna be here for a while. Might as well get comfortable." I stretched my legs out. "I'd ask you to join me but you'd have to remove the stick from your ass before sitting."

"Has anyone ever told you that you're an asshole?" She asked, sitting in the corner next to the control panel across from me. She adjusted her dress, making sure I couldn't see up or down it at all.

"Just you and I really thought I would have grown out of it in the last ten years. Shame on me." I replied, leaning my head back against the wall.

"Why are you even on the elevator any way?" She asked. I shifted my head to look at her, confused. "I saw Kat on my floor. We must be on the same one."

"I'm on the twentieth floor." I replied.

"Then why was your wife on the 18th? Just taking a walk?" She asked. I shrugged, knowing the answer to it.

"I don't know. You'll have to ask her."

"I think I'll pass on that one. Though, she might want it. She is in the habit of taking my sloppy seconds." I snorted.

"Careful. Wouldn't want your fans to know how much of a bitch you are." I checked my phone again, seeing I still had no service bars. I tossed it onto the floor. "Why are you even here? Shouldn't you have been down there like an hour ago?"

"Not that it's any of your business but my flight was late." She explained. She stretched her legs out in front of her as well, the carpet under us leaving an impression on her calf from the way she was sitting before. "I had to come from New York."

"Glad you could make time for us little people." I said, turning my face up towards the ceiling. "I'm sure your faithful fans are waiting in droves to see you down there. Whatever shall they do if you aren't there?"

"Just because I have fans that I've made a commitment to isn't a bad thing." She said. I let out a laugh.

"Good to see you finally able to commit to something. I know how hard that is for you." I glanced at her and saw her face was screwed up with anger.

"Oh, right. Cause I'm the only one to blame for the way our relationship ended." She replied. "Shall we talk about how soon you were with Kat afterwards or is that something we pretend didn't happen still?"

"I know you're not trying to tell me I was in the wrong when you were busy finding another guy down in Florida!" I exclaimed. "You remember? The whole reason why we broke up?"

"Maybe it was because I knew you were here fucking around with Kat." She said. "Trust me when I say the blonde little tramp didn't keep it a secret that the two of you were shacking up when we were still together." I rolled my eyes.

"We weren't. She told Aisha and Tanya that to make them think we were going to get together." I replied.

"Right. I'll believe that one right after I believe that you didn't drop out of college because Kat was knocked up." I was taken back by the comment, unsure of how she could have known that.

"What are you talking about?" I asked. She glanced over at me.

"You claim you dropped out to follow the MMA idea but the truth is Kat was pregnant. Rumors till tend to travel even when you're 3,000 miles away." She answered. "So what? Now you have an eight year old at home or something?"

"Why does it matter to you?" I asked, turning away from her. "You don't see me asking about that obviously gay guy you're seeing." I was referring to Jeffrey Andrews, another up and coming singer. I had seen her with him on the covers of a few tabloid magazines, both of them holding hands. When I had first seen it, it took everything I had in me to not take out the magazine rack. Everyone in the business suspected the guy was gay. There was no way a straight guy dressed that nicely and presented himself that way that wasn't.

"How about you shut the fuck up about shit you know nothing about?" She retorted. "At least Jeff isn't some big tough guy that has to beat people up instead of dealing with his emotions. God forbid a guy actually be sensitive about stuff like that. People might know how he feels rather than having to guess."

"Oh, I'll tell you how I feel alright." I bent my knees in front of me and rested me arms on them. "I feel like climbing out of the ceiling right now rather than spending however fucking long we're going to be in here with you."

"The feeling is mutual for once." She muttered, closing her eyes. Running her fingers through her hair, she slowly reopened them and gazed over at the door.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I questioned, shifting so I was facing her. She didn't move to look back at me.

"Nothing. Don't worry about it." She said softly. I opened my mouth to say something but was cut off my the crackling of the intercom.

"You still there folks?" The man's voice said.

"Where the hell do you think we would have went?" I asked, crawling closer to the control panel. Kim pulled her knees up to her chest, giving me room.

"Well, we contacted the engineer and he said he's on his way. Could take about two hours though." The man responded.

"You told us an hour half an hour ago!" Kim cried. "Isn't there something else you can do? Like pry open the doors or something? What about calling the fire department?"

"Unfortunately, you two are in between floors. Per our protocol, we don't call the fire department unless there is a medical emergency in the carriage. Is there?" The guy asked, sounding a bit snotty about the whole situation.

"Listen, I'm sorry that us being stuff in here is ruining your evening." Kim said, beating me to the punch. "Perhaps if your hotel was better equipped to deal with shit like this, we'd all be having a better night. I recommend you call the fire department and get us the hell out of here or else you're going to have a massive lawsuit on your hands."

"Ma'am, we are doing our best. I will let you know as soon as we hear anything else." He replied before shutting off the intercom. She let out a frustrated cry, slamming her back against the wall. I slid back to my original place in the corner.

"That worked well." I commented, receiving a glare that would have killed me if looks were capable of doing that.

"I don't see you doing anything about our situation."

"Well, I'm certainly not threatening the person saving us. That seemed to not help whatsoever."

"How about you do us both a favor and go fuck yourself?" I sighed.

"That would be considered indecent exposure. We still are on a public elevator." She rolled her eyes.

"Why? Why did it have to be you of all people on this planet?"

"I guess the universe has a sick, sick sense of humor."

* * *

_**Kimberly**_

Another half an hour passed without any sign of rescue. I tried everything I could think of to get out of here. I tried moving the ceiling tiles but they didn't budge, held in place by the light fixture above our heads. I tried calling the man on the intercom but it didn't do much of anything but ring shrilly for a moment. He was apparently too busy for us at the moment. Finally, I resorted to using the heel of my show to try and wedge the door open. The entire time, Tommy just sat in the corner and watched me. He didn't bother to offer any kind of help besides snarky and sarcastic comments the entire time. I wanted to whip my shoe at his face but it wouldn't help me any.

"What do you honestly think you're going to do if you get that door open?" He asked as I shoved the heel of my shoe between the doors. I pressed all my weight to the left, hoping to wedge enough space between them. "We're between floors. We can't just crawl out of here."

"Like the other men in this whole situation, he doesn't seem like the brightest guy." I grunted, the heel slipping out. I swore, shoving it back into place. "It's better just sitting here making comments like the fucking peanut gallery."

"Hey. I resent that. I think of myself more as the two older guys from the Muppet Show."

"Jesus Christ, you're stupid." I answered. I felt the shoe slide a little and a bit of relief filled my chest. I pushed harder. There was a crack noise and I thought for sure the door had opened. I was mistaken as I flung forward a little. Lifting my arm, I saw the my shoe had broken, the heel portion still crammed between the doors that hadn't moved an inch. "Fuck!" I growled, flinging my shoe against the wall. Tommy watched with an amused expression as I slumped back to my corner.

"That sucks. Maybe Trini was able to blackmail a famous cobbler to come tonight so he can fix your shoe." He suggested, the snideness in his voice making me want to clobber him.

"God, I hate you." I laughed, unable to believe the situation. "I told Trini to not invite you and she went behind my back and did it anyway. What a great friend she is."

"Well, pardon me if I don't feel any pity for you and your shoe." He replied. Tommy bent his left knee and brought it up, resting his arm on it.

"I'm not asking for your pity." I said. "Besides, why would you?"

"Stop it." He said, eyeing me.

"No. I mean it. Why would you? You pretty much have the perfect life." Scoffing, Tommy shook his head.

"Yeah? Is that what it looks like?"

"You've got a great career. What is it now? Five championships under your belt? You're rich and have a big house. You're married to a beautiful wife. Literally any guy in America would kill to be you and any woman would love to be with you." I responded, leaning my head back.

"There's nothing beautiful about Kat. Not anymore anyway." He said softly. "There isn't enough plastic surgery in the world to change that."

"I'm sure everything she did was to make you think better of her and to help your image." Tommy let out a dark chuckle, gazing down at his designer watch on his wrist.

"Or you know, the other guys that she's sleeping with." He said nonchalantly. My eyes widened at his admission. Kat was cheating on him?

"What?" I asked, letting out a small gasp. He nodded.

"She's been cheating about two years now. At least, that's how far back I know about. That's why she was probably on your floor earlier. One of the guys I suspected is here and that must be where his room is. Her other boyfriend was already downstairs. Kat always did have a talent for time management."

"Then why the hell are you still with her?" I asked. I couldn't believe how calm he sounded right now, discussing his wife's affairs. He shrugged his shoulders.

"My agent told me when I thought about filing for divorce that you aren't truly famous unless your significant other has an affair or two. In the world of MMA, it's better to have a hot wife everyone wants than an ex-wife who could claim you beat her up because you divorced her. My agent said my career would be over if I left her." I blinked, trying to take in the stupidity of that statement.

"That is utterly insane. If she is making you feel that way and is doing that to you, you shouldn't be with her." He chuckled again.

"It stopped hurting a year ago. Now it's just something I'm used to." I watched as his jaw clenched and I knew he was lying. There was no way this wasn't affecting him in anyway. I could see it in his eyes as well, the dark brown pools hardening at the thought of it.

"I'm really sorry you have to go through that, Tommy." I said softly.

"Yeah, well. At least someone is, right?" Tommy turned his eyes to look at me. "Not all of us can have that picture perfect relationship that you have with Jeff."

"We're not in a relationship." I replied, hugging my arms around my legs.

"That's not what the press thinks." He said.

"That's the point. Him and his publicist asked me to attend some events and parties with him. I didn't think anything of it at the time. But then our pictures started popping up in magazines everywhere, saying we were the newest hot couple. We're not though."

"Why would he want you to pretend to be with him then?" Tommy asked, looking confused.

"Because Jeff is gay." I answered.

"Well, yeah, Everyone thinks that already. Why not come out with it?" I sighed.

"Because, like you, it would be bad for his image if he didn't have a pretty girl by his side to write music about. The record label told him if he came out, he could potentially destroy his career. He isn't willing to take that chance." I explained.

"They can't do that, can they?"

"The label can do whatever it wants. Trust me." I whispered, leaning my chin on my knee. My hair fell forward, covering the part of my face that was closest to him. "From determining what image you put out to the songs you're going to perform. You're just theirs to mold."

"What did they do to you?" He asked, softly. I glanced at him quickly through my hair. He looked genuinely concerned for a moment. Bringing himself to his hands and knees, he crawled over so that he was sitting against the same wall as me. There was about two feet between us and the smell of his aftershave that had settled in the elevator grew stronger in a pleasant way.

"Basically changed my entire image. I went from being a country singer to this poppy shit that I hate so much." I closed my eyes, fighting back tears that surprised me.

"The new music you have out? Is that why it's completely different than your older material?" I nodded, looking at him again.

"Once they saw how many people were buying CDs that had more pop country hits on them than traditional, the label decided I needed to go in that direction. They stopped letting me write my own music unless they could put some kind of upbeat melody behind it. I tried to fight it but they won."

"Why not just tell them you're going to sing your shit then?" He asked. "It's your voice. What are they going to do about it?"

"They would drop me from their label." I whispered. "Without a label, there's no career."

"I don't believe that." Tommy said. "You're young, beautiful, and talented. Any label would pick you up in a heartbeat. If I were you, I'd start putting my foot down and telling them you'll walk if they don't start listening to you."

"I'll do that right after you tell Kat you're going to leave her." I replied, pushing the hair out of my face. Tommy smiled tightly, letting out a soft chuckle.

"I guess you've got me there." For a second, I saw a glimpse of the old Tommy. The long haired boy who I fell in love with all those years ago. Was he still in there somewhere, deep down where life had shoved him?

"Guess we're quite the pair." I sighed, stretching my legs out in front of me. "Not exactly how we planned out our lives, is it?"

"No." He said softly, glancing over at me. We locked eyes. "Not exactly."

* * *

_**Tommy**_

"Hey, folks. You still holding in there?" The man's voice said over the intercom about twenty minutes later. Kimberly perked her head up at the sound, annoyance on her face.

"Yeah. We're still here." She replied flatly.

"The good news is that the engineer has figured out what happened and knows how to get you free." He stated.

"But?" I asked, feeling that he was going to drop a bombshell we weren't going to like.

"It's gonna take about another hour. We gotta reset our system and it takes a while to reboot. But we will have you out in a jiffy after that!" The guy disconnected the intercom quickly, more than likely hoping to avoid another lashing from Kimberly. Instead of letting out an angry outburst, she leaned her head back against the wall and frowned.

"What time is it?" She asked, not turning to look at me. I glanced at my watch, seeing that it was a little before nine. We've been trapped in here for almost three hours now. I wondered if Kat or Jon had even noticed I was missing. I doubted it. They were probably living it up down there, enjoying the party and their time together.

"Almost nine." I replied.

"I was supposed to be on stage by now." She said. "I hope they can still raise all the money they need."

"I'm sure they will." I said, doing my best to reassure her. "It is Trini, afterall. I'm sure she could get a donation out of anyone if she tried hard enough. And it's not your fault. You didn't plan on getting stuck in here forever."

"I know. Sorry you're here too. I know this isn't how you planned your night." I laughed.

"No. I planned on spending it avoiding people as much as possible at a social event." Kim glanced over at me, her head still tipped back against the wall of the elevator.

"Was it true about Kat?" She asked, her tone gentle. I knew what she was talking about but I didn't move to answer. She was right. I didn't just drop out of college because of my MMA career colleges. I had been about three quarters of the way done with my first year of school when I started trying the circuit. It wasn't going to be a career. It was just going to be something to help pay off my student debt and learn more martial art techniques. I was having a blast but also saw what happened to those that devoted their lives to it. They were rarely happy and were obsessed with getting to that next level or fight. It was the main reason I didn't want to go into it full-time. I was happy with the idea of just training to stay in shape. Kat loved it though. She loved coming to the gym and meeting the other fighters and their wives. It was the type of life I saw she wanted but I told her flat out that it wasn't for me.

Then Kat found out she was pregnant.

It wasn't planned. I had used protection every time but somehow it still happened. As a technically unemployed college student, I nearly had a panic attack when she told me. I realized I had to do something to support not only Kat but our baby that would be coming. I told Kat I would get a real job and juggle it and school. She told me to just drop out and go into MMA full-time. I hated the idea but she pushed it and pushed it. The head trainer offered me a contract at the bottom of the ladder, telling me he thought I could climb it fairly quick. Without any other choice, I accepted it. I tried to handle it and school but it was too much. I had to miss classes to train and travel for events out of the area. I dropped out, knowing it was the right choice to support my family. I proposed to Kat and we had a quick wedding, hoping to appease her parents who would be against her having a baby out of wedlock. I was finally accepting the fact that I was going to be a father and was excited about it.

After a few months though, I noticed that Kat wasn't getting any bigger. I hadn't been able to attend any of her doctor appointments and hadn't seen any new sonogram pictures since the first ones. When I asked her about it, she said it just happens like that sometimes. Shortly after that, she said that she had a miscarriage. I was upset, distraught over the idea our baby had died. I offered to go with Kat to her appointment afterwards but she said she was fine. I accepted it and moved on. It wasn't until the affair started that I thought about the whole situation. I called her doctor to find out more about it. That's when I was informed she had an abortion shortly after I signed on with the company. I knew then that she had more than likely gotten pregnant on purpose to force my hand and then ended the pregnancy when she got her way. It is the main reason why I felt no emotions towards her cheating on me. The bitch was evil and I couldn't care if she was spreading her evilness to other assholes.

"Tommy?" Kimberly asked, bringing me back to the present.I turned my face away from her.

"Yeah." I said.

"You have a kid?" She whispered. It felt like the temperature of the boxed shaped lift grew hotter. I shook my head.

"No. Why does this even matter? Do you see me asking why you aren't married to the guy you left me for?" I snapped, seeing her physically draw back from the comment.

"I didn't mean to hurt you or-."

"Yeah. I've heard that before." I muttered, standing to my feet. "Yeah, if you must know. She was pregnant. It didn't last. The end."

"What do you mean it didn't last?" She asked, pulling herself up to her feet. "Did you guys have a miscarriage or something? That's awful. Poor Kat."

"No!" I exclaimed. "It was her fucking fault." I turned away from her, running a hand through my hair. It was dry now, the product I had used in it hardening.

"I don't understand. How could it have been her fault? Unless…" She trailed off and I tossed a glimpse at her over my shoulder. "Did she have an abortion, Tommy?" I closed my eyes, not wanting to speak. I felt the raw emotion burning the back of my throat, mixing with the bile that usually tried to come up whenever I thought of the baby. "Oh, Tommy."

"Stop it." I managed to say, my voice hoarse. "I don't want pity. Especially yours."

"How could she do that to you?" She asked. "That's so awful. How could you stand to look at her?"

"Because I made a commitment to her. Some people stay loyal to those types of things. Something you might not be familiar with." I said, glaring at her.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She asked, crossing her arms.

"Please. How long after you left Angel Grove did you start hooking up with guys? Were your things unpacked or did you just go right out on the prowl?" She looked offended, the goal I was going for. If she wanted to lay everything out on the line right now, I could too.

"It wasn't like that at all!" She exclaimed. "I never cheated on you. You were the one here, hopping into bed with Kat."

"I already told you she lied about that. I would have never done that to you. I loved you!" I yelled, my voice echoing off the walls around us. "I was willing to give up everything to be with you, no matter what it took. I gave you everything I had and supported your choice in going to Florida. All just for you to decide some other guy was better than me. Do you know how much that fucked me up, Kimberly? I spent a good year trying to figure out what the hell I had done to make you want another guy instead of me."

"A year? You were with Kat just a few weeks after I sent you that letter. I should know. I saw the two of you together!" She said, pointing a finger at me. I looked at her, confused.

"What?"

"I came back to Angel Grove to get some more of my things from Aisha. I needed to see how you were doing because you hadn't bothered to try to call or write me to fix things between us. I was worried. But sure as shit, don't I see the two of you walking hand and hand through the park? It must have been so hard to deal with our break up that you sought refuge in the blonde tramp that was the main reason I had to quit the team!"

"Kat was there for me when you weren't! You had broken up with me. What was I supposed to do? Wait around to see if you changed your mind or that the guy you were fucking was done with you? I might have been an idiot but I wasn't going to waste my life like that."

"I wasn't fucking anyone! There was no other guy!" She yelled. As she did, the lights in the elevator went out. She let out a loud gasp as complete darkness consumed us.

"Fuck." I muttered, fishing around for my cell. "They must have cut the power to work on it." I felt my phone in my pocket and pulled it out. I turned the flashlight on and it gave a soft illumination around the lift. Setting the phone on the floor, I saw that Kim had an anger expression on her face, tears threatening to fall.

"Yeah. Sure there wasn't." I replied. "Then why would you tell me there was?"

"Because I figured you had already moved on and that I should too. But I couldn't bring myself to actually do it. So, I made up some guy and told you that so that you would know how it felt to have someone betray you like that. I thought you were falling in love with Kat and I wanted you to think that I was doing the same."

"What bullshit." I scoffed, shaking my head.

"Why do you think I never reached out to the team much afterwards? I was afraid they would talk about how happy the two of you were while I was in Florida, alone and miserable. You never tried to get me back so I knew that it worked out the best for you."

"Why would I have reached out to you? I thought you were fucking some other guy while I was trying to pretend I was okay when a part of me was dying. You should have asked! You should have talked to me about what you thought was going on!" I said loudly, my heart beating fast in my chest.

"Why does it even matter now?" She asked. I opened my mouth to respond but couldn't find the words. Instead, I took three steps forward until the gap between us was gone. Bending slightly, I pressed my lips to hers.

* * *

_**Kimberly**_

It took my mind a few seconds to realize that Tommy and I were indeed kissing. In that time, my body had responded by kissing back, His arms wrapped around me and pulled me tightly against him, pinning my arms against his chest. our mouths moved together in an eager fashion, the friction causing my lips to swell. The kiss was fantastic, the first one I had had in a long time. It brought me back to high school, standing on the sand shore as I kissed Tommy good-bye for the last time. This wasn't a goodbye though. My mind came to its senses. This was adult versions of Tommy and I making out in an elevator. What the hell was I doing right now? The guy was married! Not that it mattered. Kat probably had done this countless times if Tommy was honest about that. But did that make this okay?

I moved to push Tommy away but he walked me backwards until my back was against the wall. His tongue made its way into my mouth and I found myself meeting it, matching its movements. My want to stop it melted away as I snaked my fingers into his hair. His arms moved from around my body so that his hands could cup themselves around my bottom to lift me up. I felt the metal railing dig into my ass as he pressed his body against me, holding me to the wall. His hands explored my body, touching me in a way I hadn't been touched since he did last. If there could have been dust and cobwebs, there probably would have been. A moth might even flutter out knowing my luck.

I removed my hands from his hair and clasped them around the back of his neck. I wrapped my legs around his waist for better support and felt something hard poke me through his pants. The elevator felt like a dark sauna now, my internal temperature rising as his hands slowly came up the length of my thighs. A shiver ran down my spine as he repeated the action. Tommy released my mouth, trailing kisses from there, down my jaw line and to my collar bone. On my neck, he sought out the area above my pulse and ran his tongue over the area for a moment before kissing it. I felt his teeth nip at the spot, causing my eyes to close and my head to tip back. He brought his right hand to my left breast and pulled my dress down to expose my chest. He pinched my left nipple between his thumb and pointer finger, causing my back to arch up and off the wall. He left my neck, bending down to take my other nipple in his mouth.

"Shit." I gasped, moving my hands to his shoulders. Every conscious thought I had before right now was gone. All I could focus on was the pent up feelings I've been burying all this time. All the nights I laid there, thinking about him and what his life was like without me in it. Wondering if he ever thought about me the way I thought about him. As his fingers explored my body, I couldn't help but feel a small part of me hopes that this meant I was still in his heart somewhere. Somewhere deep where he kept our memories.

Tommy brought both of his hands down to grip my ass again, lifting my dress until he found my underwear. Pulling it down, he backed up a half step to slip them off and toss them over his shoulder. They disappeared into a dark corner of the elevator where I couldn't see. I took the space between us to undo his belt and fly, pulling the zipper down. I found dark green cotton boxer briefs under his pants and I fought a smile. Reaching into his pants, I wrapped my fingers around him through his underwear and he hissed against my skin. Standing up straight, he batted my hands away to release himself. I felt it slap the inside of my thigh as he stepped closer again. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders as he positioned me above him. Slowly, he pushed his hips up and lowered me down. I felt him enter me and I let out a gasp, amazed at how familiar it felt. Once he was in about an inch or two, he bucked his hips back and forth to help build moisture. It felt amazing and like teasing at the same time, the anticipation building in the pit of my stomach. Gripping his shoulders, I waited until he went to lower me again. I bucked, him slipping and filling me all the way. A loud moan came from my lips and I tossed my head back, bouncing it loudly off the wall.

"You okay, Beautiful?" He whispered, continuing to buck. I nodded, not wanting him to stop. I could deal with a minor concussion later. I pressed my lips to his again, exploring his mouth with my tongue. I felt him grow harder with that and he began to make his strokes harder and faster. Noises that would make my mother faint came from my mouth, telling Tommy how much of a grade A job he was doing. The muscles in my legs burned from the strokes I was making but I pushed through the pain. Tommy gripped the railing under me for more leverage, burying his face into my chest again as my head pulled to the side. The combination of him sucking my hot skin and him pumping into me was making an orgasm barrel towards me like a tractor trailer on an interstate. I knew it would be coming and fast. Sweat was forming on my skin and I could feel it through his dress shirt.

"I'm going to cum." I panted, feeling the edges of my mind begin to blur with it.

"Tell me you missed this." He whispered, bringing his mouth close to my ear. "Tell me you've missed me."

"I do." I breathed back, the orgasm now looming over me like a tidal wave. He tangled his fingers into my hair.

"I've missed you too." He said before engulfing my mouth with his again. The wave hit and I cried into his mouth, digging my nails into him. His hips moved faster in a not so in-sync rhythm, telling me he was going over the edge as well. I felt him stiffen inside of me and he growled, the noise vibrating between us. With a couple more jerks of his pelvis, he came to a stop. He pressed his body against mine slightly, resting as we both panted. Pulling away from the kiss, he pressed his forehead against mine.

"Well, fuck." I breathed, trying to catch my breath.

"I believe that's what we just did." He replied, making a laugh come from the both of us. He untangled his hand from my hair carefully, doing his best not to pull it. I wrapped my arms around his neck tightly, hugging him.

"Is it true?" I whispered. "Have you missed me?"

"Yes." He answered softly, wrapping his arms around me to return the hug. I closed my eyes, feeling tears brim my eyes again. "Was it true for you?"

"Yes." I said, my voice barely above a whisper. He pushed me back slightly so I was leaning against the wall again. With his thumb, he wiped away a tear that had managed to slip down my cheek.

"Kimberly, I-." He started but was interrupted by the lights coming back on in the elevator. There was a rumbling noise and suddenly, the entire thing lurch down. It sent Tommy stumbling backwards, awkwardly holding me against him.

"We're moving!" I said, not believing it. The floors started to count down now.

"Shit." He muttered, looking down at me. It suddenly became apparent to me that Tommy was still inside of me and that I was still exposed as could be on the top half of my body.

"Oh!" I cried out, yanking my dress up to cover my breasts. Gently, Tommy eased himself out of me and I instantly missed the sensation. He set me down on my feet and I spotted my underwear discarded in the corner her had tossed them. He zipped himself up and redid his belt as I snagged them, pulling them up my legs.

"Hey there!" The intercom idiot announced. "We've got you started! It's going to head straight to the lobby and you will be good to go."

"Thanks." Tommy called, grabbing his jacket and cell phone from the floor. I noticed his hair was sticking up where my fingers had gone through it. Reaching up, I combed it down with my fingers. He looked surprised at my affection.

"You guys did a great job hanging in there. See you in a minute!" The intercom shut off and we continued to climb down.

"Thank you." He said, bending down and grabbing my shoes. He held them out to me, the broken one reminded me I couldn't wear them to the event. Not that going was an option now. It was pretty much over now, people probably heading to the after party that I had no interest in attending.

"Thanks." I took them and looked up at him. "Tommy?"

"Yeah?" He replied as we neared the lobby.

"What were you going to say before the lights came back on?"

"It wasn't important." He said, giving me a small smile. A sudden loud noise made us both jump, the noise coming from his cell phone in his hand. We both looked and saw a picture of Katherine on the screen. Tommy glanced over at me quickly before answering it. "Hey, Kat."

"Where the hell are you?" I heard her loud voice say.

"I've been trapped in the elevator. They just freed it. I'm heading down now." He replied, a defeated look on his face.

"Good. Get the fuck here. We're going to the after party." She hung up and I saw the screen go black.

"I almost wish we were still stuck." I said softly. Tommy didn't say anything as he tucked his phone back into his pocket.

"Me too." Behind him, I saw we had reached the second floor. Stepping forward, I stood on my tippy toes and kissed his cheek. As I went to step back, he caught my hand and stopped me. He kissed me on the lips sweetly, stroking my hand with his thumb as he did. The elevator came to a stop, dinging, as we pulled away from each other. He released my hand as the doors opened behind him. Beyond the doors, I saw an entire group of employees of the hotel and a couple first aid officials who were probably from the event.

"Are you two okay?" A man in a blue suit asked, stepping forward. I recognized his voice from the intercom. He wore a shiny name tag that read Michael, Hotel Manager under it. He was tall and skinny, nothing like I had pictured him to be when he spoke to us.

"Yeah." I said, nodding as Tommy let me step out first. "We're fine."

"Please let me be the first to apologize for this whole ordeal. The hotel is going to fully compensate you for your stay here as well as any future visits you might have." He said, majorly ass kissing. I only half listened to him as I glanced over my shoulder at Tommy. He was hanging in the background now, trying to be as invisible as possible.

"Thank you." I said, smiling at the manager. "I promise, we're alright. Thank you all for your help. We really must be getting to the fundraiser now."

"Of course! I'll send for an escort right now. Everyone, please get back to work." Michael turned and shooed everyone away as he scurried over to the front desk. I caught a couple of guests gawking in our direction, hotel staff diverting them another direction. Once everyone was away from us, I opened my purse and pulled out a scrap piece of paper and a pen. I quickly scrawled my number on it. I held it out to Tommy.

"What's this?" He asked, taking it.

"My number." I replied, putting the pen back in my purse.

"But…" He trailed off.

"Maybe we will never grow a pair and tell those who are fucking us over to fuck off. Or maybe, we just need someone in our corner to help us do it." I shrugged my shoulders. "And clearly, you know how to support someone in a corner."

"Huh? Oh!" A blush filled his cheeks at the comment and he smiled, shaking his head. "Yeah. I guess so."

"Call me if you ever want to talk or if you want me to beat the fuck out of your wife."

"I'll keep that in mind. Call me if you ever want me to beat up someone at your label." I smiled, turning to walk towards the front desk. "Hey, Kim?" He called out behind me. I stopped, looking back at him.

"What?"

"I should have went after you." He said, my number in between his fingers. "Back then. I should have tried to go after you when I got the letter."

"I never should have left." I replied. "Maybe we won't have to miss each other for much longer, okay?"

"Okay."


	5. Chapter 5

Hi everyone!

As you can tell, this isn't exactly a one-shot. I just wanted to write something quick because a lot of you have been sending me some ideas for one-shots and I needed to be honest with everyone.

A lot of you have suggested one-shots of my various other stories or just one-shots in general about Tommy and Kim having a baby. I love the idea of the two having kids together and who doesn't love a happy ending like that? I know I do. And a lot of your guys ideas about how it happens and what goes down are fantastic!

I know not all of you have been my readers for a long time. Those of you that have are aware of the fact my husband and I were supposed to adopt a baby back in March. We were super excited since we've been trying for almost six years to have a baby and it just wasn't happening for us. Then out of the blue, someone we knew asked us to adopt their baby. You all were actually the first people I told right after we found out because I HAD to tell someone I was dying inside. Unfortunately, our son died shortly after being born. It was the day after my birthday in March. I pray that none of you have ever and will never experience that kind of pain. I'm a changed person today because of it and it's a daily struggle of coming up with reasons to get out of bed.

I've tried, guys. Truly. I've started one-shots about Tommy and Kim finding out their pregnant or that they are in labor. It brings me to tears every time and I can't bring myself to finish it. I feel HORRIBLY guilty about it because it makes me feel like I'm letting you all down. Hopefully, someday I'll be able to write something where they have a baby but I don't think it's going to happen soon. Please don't think I'm ignoring your ideas or suggestions about this. I honestly wish I could go back in time and warn myself. I can't though. I am sorry that I can't give you the one-shot that you all want. I swear to keep giving you other ideas you suggest and doing my best to provide my best work each time.

Thank you all for ready and for being one of my biggest support systems.

\- Jessica (morphme)


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hey everyone! I know. It's been forever since I posted anything. It's been pretty busy between work and school but I was finally able to finish this one-shot I've been working on. I hope you all enjoy it and just know what it took to write this. :)**

* * *

_**Drunk Me - One Shot**_

"Kimberly Oliver?" A woman's voice called behind me. Looking up from the magazine in my lap, I looked over my shoulder at the receptionist at the front desk. Her eyes scanned the room until they landed on me, a polite and cheerful smile on her lips. Long red hair was pulled back in a ponytail at the back of her head and she wore a red scrub top. "Dr. Matthews will see you now."

"Thank you." I said, closing the magazine and setting it on the small table next to my seat before standing up. I put the strap of my purse over my shoulder as I walked through the waiting room over to the doorway where a nurse was waiting. It was relatively empty today, a couple of people waiting to be seen here. I was shocked with the raging flu season that was currently in full swing. Everyone I knew pretty much had it or some form of it, Tommy included. He had been home sick all week last week, missing school so he could ride the couch. They aren't kidding when they say men are big babies when they're sick. My husband was a hopeless loss cause at this point.

"Good morning. I'm Jennie." THe nurse said, her blonde hair cut short around her round face. She also wore a red scrub top, pants matching it. There was a chart in her hands and she signaled for me to walk through the doorway. I did, stepping to the side to allow her to lead me. I found myself standing in a short hallway, a turn to the left and a number of doors on each side. She walked forward, taking the left. I followed her, seeing there were more doors and another turn to the right halfway up the hallway. She stopped by a little alcove, pointing at a scale.

"Great." I muttered, setting my purse down on a chair next to the scale. I kicked my sneakers off and stepped on to it. The scale was electronic, the screen lit up with lines for a moment. It loaded before revealing 120 on the scale. I gaped in horror. That was almost fifteen more pounds than I was the last time I was weighed. Jesus, what the hell was I doing? I knew married life does that to you but I didn't think it happened only three months into the first year.

"Alright. I'm going to grabbed a sample from you really quick and then the doctor will see you in exam room 4." Jennie said, handing out a small plastic cup to me for urine. I was still a bit appalled by the number on the scale as I took it, stepping off the scale and shoving my feet back into my shoes. She gestured towards a bathroom kiddie corner from us and I grabbed my purse, ducking inside of the room. "Room four is two door that way, alright?" She said. I nodded, giving her a smile before shutting the door. The bathroom was small with just the bare necessities. There was a white sink, a matching toilet next to it. There was also a small window with a little shutter, a tray set up on the ledge. I unscrewed the top of my sample cup and yanked my tights down. Lining everything up right, I peed. The cup grew warm in my hand as it filled and I felt some get on my hands.

"Fuck." I whispered, pulling my hand out. I screwed the drop on, setting it on the sink. I grabbed a shit ton of toilet paper, wiping my hand and then myself. I pulled my tights back up and walked over to the sink. I scrubbed my hands under the hot water with soap that barely foamed before picking up my sample and setting it on the tray. I knocked on the window quickly before scurrying out of the room. I walked up the hall towards the direction that now missing Jennie had said, finding a room with the number 4 on the door. I stepped inside, shutting the door behind me.

Exam room 4 was a slightly bigger room than the bathroom. There was an examination table jutting from the corner across from me, a countertop next to it. There was a computer perched on there, a black top stool next to it. On the other side of the table, there were three arm chairs set up and a table with some magazines on it. I sat in the middle chair and set my bag down in the chair on my right.

Sighing, I leaned back in the chair. I wasn't quite sure why I was even here. When I woke up the other morning, I had the early stages of the flu. It didn't surprise me with Tommy having it. I stay home in bed all day and felt somewhat better the next day. This morning, however, I woke up sick again. Not to the point of staying home but enough where I was throwing up. Tommy insisted I go to the doctor to make sure I was alright and to hopefully get something to help me feel better. I was due to leave for my first cross country tour next week and I couldn't let the flu stop that from happening. Hopefully, I test negative and end up with some good meds to make me feel better quickly.

"Hello, Kim." A woman's voice said as the door opened. Shifting, I saw it was Dr. Matthews. She was an older woman, probably in her late forties, with greying brown hair that was braided down her hair. She wore a white lab coat over a pair of black slacks and a purple dress shirt, a stethoscope around her neck. She was holding a folder in her hand as she closed the door behind her. Reaching out, she shook my hand. "It's good to see you again."

"You too." I replied, giving her a smile.

"What's going on?" She asked, sitting on the stool across from me.

"Well, my husband had the flu last week and I woke up feeling a bit crappy these past few days. He thinks I should come down and get checked out." I explained.

"Right. Let's take a look here, shall we?" She opened the folder and leafed through the papers, reading whatever was written on in. She furrowed her brow for a moment before closing the folder. I wanted to swear. I hope that didn't mean I had the flu. It was the last thing I needed right now. "Well, Kimberly, I was going to send you for some blood work to test for the flu but I don't think that'll be necessary now. I don't believe you have the flu."

"Really? That's good. Do you think it's just a small little bug I caught or something like that?" I asked. She smirked.

"Something like that. You're pregnant."

For a moment, the entire world around me felt like it was melting away. My mind tried to wrap around the words that had just come from her mouth but they couldn't. I blinked, trying to focus on her face. She was smiling at me, like she was telling me this great and terrific news. Pregnant? How could that even be possible?

"What?" I whispered, shaking my head. "That can't be possible."

"I know you had some troubles with alcohol abuse in the past. Though that can affect fertility but it's only by like 20%."

"But I'm on birth control!" I exclaimed.

"I'm going to guess that you may have taken some kind of medicine that might have caused it to falter. It's not uncommon for that to happen. And the pill is only 98% effective. It could be possible that you and your husband happen to fall into that 2% of people." Just my fucking luck.

"I'm not ready for this." I breathed, running a hand through my hair. She leaned over and put her hand on my arm.

"I know this is big news. How about we get some blood work today and schedule a follow up tomorrow? Then, you can decide what you want to do." I gave her a small nod.

The next two hours were filled with me having a panic attack while waiting to get blood work done. Tommy called me twice in that time frame but I ignored his call each time, unsure of what on Earth I was going to say to him. I knew I wasn't ready for this. There was no way I could handle a baby. I was struggling to care for myself, barely two years sober. Now, I was just supposed to switch over into Mommy mode. I still have plenty of times where I think about drinking. I couldn't trust myself to not make that decision and somehow harm an innocent baby.

Once my blood work was finished, I made an appointment with Dr. Matthews office to come back tomorrow. She wanted to do some more tests and an ultrasound, making sure the baby and I were alright. The fact that the word baby was still being used to classify a part of my body made everything inside me buzz with anxiety. Dr. Matthews had given me some pamphlets on the way out and now that I was sitting in the front seat of my car, I decided to look at them. One was about parenting and what type of birth was right for you. The thought of a tiny human coming ripping out of my vagina made me want to hurl so I shoved that one back into my purse. The next was one about abortion. I instantly knew that wasn't an option. I'm not against abortion. It's something that sometimes needs to happen. I personally couldn't do it though. I put that one back in as well, leaving the last one in my lap.

Adoption. It was an idea. I knew there were a number of people out there that couldn't have children who adopted. Tommy himself was adopted, meeting his biological brother after I left for Florida. We could find a nice couple who are dying to have a baby and let them raise it. That way, I could give them the type of life they deserved with people who wouldn't fuck up nearly as much as me. But would Tommy agree to that? I know that it's my body but he still has an opinion in the matter. How could this happen? Was this some sick sad joke I was getting handed because of everything I put Tommy through?

"There you are." Tommy said as I walked through the front door of our house. He was sitting at our dining room table, student papers stacked in front of him across the surface of the mahogany piece of furniture. I closed the door behind me, kicking off my shoes and hanging my purse up on the coat rack to my right. I took a deep breath, closing my eyes before turning back to walk towards him. The soft red tones of our dining room made it feel warm and inviting, one of the main reasons we painted it this way. Standing here now though, I wished I was anywhere else in the world.

"Yeah. Sorry about not calling you back before." I said, leaning against the back of the chair that was directly across from him. "I was still at the doctor's appointment."

"For that long?" He asked, looking concerned. "Is everything alright? Did she say you have the flu?"

"No. I don't have the flu." I replied, my nails digging into the wood of the chair. "Tommy, I have to tell you something and you're going to panic. But it's okay because I already have it all planned out on how to fix it."

"You're really starting to freak me out now, Kim." He said, pulling the glasses off his face. He slid his chair back and stood up, walking towards me. "What did the doctor say? Are you really sick?"

"Tommy, I'm pregnant." I said, not looking up at him. "She wasn't sure how far along but she knew for sure I am. I have to go back tomorrow for some more testing. But you don't have to worry about any of this. I will figure it out. I already have an idea."

"Okay. Woah. Let's pause for a second, shall we?" He said, causing me to turn to look up at him. "You're pregnant?" I hesitated, unsure of what to do. Finally, I gave a small nod. He dropped his glasses to the table and a brilliant smile filled his face. He leaned forward and kissed me quickly, wrapping his arms around me in a tight hug. "That's amazing, Beautiful!" He exclaimed, pulling back so he could look down at me. "For a moment there, I thought you were going to say something was seriously wrong."

"There is." I replied, shocked that he seemed so happy by this. "There is no way we are ready to have a baby."

"What are you talking about? We both have secure jobs, we own our own home, and we have plenty of people around us to give us support when we need it." He stated.

"We've only been married for like a year and a half and I am a recovering alcoholic. We're former Power Rangers who basically have a target on our backs if anyone ever discovered who we really were. Our child would be at an even greater risk."

"Do you not want to have a baby?" He asked. I saw him think for a moment and he gazed down at me. "What did you mean before? When you said you had a plan to deal with it?" He let go of me and took a step back. "Are you thinking of ending your pregnancy?"

"No!" I exclaimed, shaking my head. "Absolutely not. But, I think we should strongly consider looking into adoption. IT's a great idea and we can do it privately with a well deserving couple-."

"We're a well-deserving couple!" He said loudly, almost yelling. "What makes you think I would ever agree to just give our child away, Kim? Why would you think that you would make such a horrible mother that we needed to send our kid away?"

"I can barely take care of myself!" I exclaimed, throwing my hands in the air. "Look where I was two years ago. What if that happens again? What if I end up drinking again and cause our baby to be born with some kind of condition that leaves them bedridden their entire lives? OR even worse, what if I drank so much it killed them? What if after they're born, I get drunk and they end up taking them away from us because I couldn't stop myself? How would you be able to look me in the eye and tell me you still love me if I caused that to happen? You wouldn't, that's how."

"Everyone is nervous when they find out about their first kid." He said. "I think you're overreacting. We aren't placing our baby up for adoption."

"I'm not overreacting!" I yelled, stomping my foot. "You don't understand. I'm too fucked up to have kids. Ever. I told you this before after we got married. It's not right of me to ruin their lives because I didn't know better. Well, now I know better. And I know well enough that it's pretty fucking stupid to think I will be capable to being a mother. You were adopted. You know how great it can be."

"Oh, yeah. It's so great. It's so great not knowing who you really are or where your real parents are. Or wondering why you weren't good enough for them to keep. Adoption is a good choice for those who have no other options. We do though. We are going to have this baby and raise them. I get that your scared. I do. But we can do this together." He reached for my hands but I yanked them from his reach.

"Scared? I am down right petrified! I know you think you can fix everything but you can't. It doesn't matter if you think we can handle this or not. I know I can. I am telling you right now that I am not going to be able to be any kind of mother to a baby. It doesn't matter how many times you tell me otherwise. If you can't respect the fact that I know my limits, that's on you. If you want, I'll carry the baby and you two can live together after. I'll leave."

"Do you even hear yourself right now?" Tommy asked, shaking his head. "It's a baby, Kim. Not a death sentence. You're being a bit ridiculous here. If Jason can manage to raise Annie by himself, I think we can handle this together."

"There's a difference between Jason and us. He didn't have a choice. I do."

"Oh no, you don't." Tommy said, grabbing my arm. "I get that times are different now and it's supposed to be a woman's choice but that is our child. We are in this together and we are making choices together." Tommy was looking at me with a hard expression, not one of authority or rage but rather one of putting his stance on things clear.

"How are you not getting what I'm saying? There would be no chance for this kid with me as a mother. I don't have one nurturing bone in my body. I can't even keep house plants alive. How the hell would a baby survive with me taking care of it?" Those tears welled in my eyes again. "I know you think I'm being selfish here but I'm not. I'm trying to prevent the worst life a baby could have from happening."

"When is your next appointment?" He asked, avoiding everything I had just said.

"Tomorrow."

"How about we go together tomorrow and talk to the doctor? We can get all the information and make any decisions from there, alright?" Reaching over, he grabbed both of my hands. "I get your worries, Kim. I do. But I think you would be a great mother. I've seen the way you are with Annie. Any kid would be lucky to have you as their mom. Will you please keep an open mind until then?"

"Yeah. Okay."

* * *

The rest of the night was awkward between the two of us. So awkward that Tommy elected to sleep on the couch to give me space. The next morning, we got ready separately and he waited for me in the car. The ride to the doctor's office was quiet and filled with tension. Now and then, I saw him looking at me and our glances would meet. He'd attempt a smile but it wasn't genuine. About two miles down the road, he reached over and grabbed my hand. Giving it a reassuring squeeze, I felt the nerves in my belly grow. I know what Tommy wanted me to say. He wanted me to suddenly change my mind and agree to have this baby. To say that we were going to be a happy little family. I wish it was true. I wish I could say that but I just couldn't. It would be a lie to say I could care for a baby. Something Tommy should have known.

Pulling into the parking lot of the medical center, Tommy parked the car and opened my door for me. I climbed out and together, we walked up the sidewalk to the front glass doors. The receptionist behind the desk pointed us towards the radiology wing, informing us that we were going to have an ultrasound first. It felt like heavy weights were on my feet as we walked up the white tiled hallway until we found a wooden door with radiology over it. Tommy pulled it open for me and I slipped in. We found ourselves in the small waiting room, chairs lined open along the walls and a reception window on the left side. There were a few people waiting here, flipping through magazines as they did. I walked over to the window and handed the girl behind the glass my insurance cards. She scanned them and then instructed me to sit down until my name was called. Tommy gestured towards an empty set of chairs in the far right corner. I nodded, sliding into one of the chairs. He sat next to me, letting out a quiet sigh as he did.

"Kimberly Oliver?" A man's voice called about ten minutes later. Glancing up from the Good Housekeeping magazine I was pretending to read, I saw an older guy standing in an open doorway. Tommy stood up, waiting for me. I led the way towards the man who was wearing dark grey scrubs. He smiled at me, opening the door wider to allow us entry. I stepped in, seeing a narrow hallway with a number of doors in it. Tommy grabbed my hand as the man shut the door. "Follow me. You're going to be in room 3." Turning, the man walked up the hall and stopped at a door with the number 3 on it. He pulled it open for us and we stepped in. There was a table, similar to the one in the doctor's office, next to a large machine. There were three chairs on either side of the table and a stool that was tall enough to reach the machine monitor. Reaching under the table, he pulled out paper gowns. He placed them on the table. "I need you to strip from the waist up. The doc will be in soon." With that, he smiled and left.

"Want me to step outside?" Tommy asked, shifting from foot to foot. I shook my head, setting my purse in one of the chairs.

"You are still my husband, Tommy." I said softly. I pulled my shirt and my bra off, pulling on the gown. It was light and thin, telling me it probably did little to cover me. I sat up on the table and leaned back against the pillow top. Tommy sat in the chair next to the top of the table.

"Kim, before anything happens, I just want to say I love you. No matter what, we can work through whatever comes our way." He took my hand in his and kissed the knuckles.

"I love you, too. Please don't get your hopes up, alright?" He nodded, opening his mouth to say something. He was interrupted by the door opening. Dr. Matthews walked in, smiling at Tommy first and then me. Behind her, a younger girl trailed in as well. She had long brown hair pulled back in a ponytail and red scrubs on, a name tag clipped to her waist.

"Hi, Kimberly. This must be your husband." Dr. Matthews said, reaching out a hand towards Tommy. He grabbed it, shaking it firmly.

"Nice to meet you." He said, forcing a smile.

"You too. Kimberly, this is my intern, Andrea. Is it alright if she shadows me while I do your ultrasound?" Dr. Matthews asked.

"Yeah." I replied, nodding. "It's fine."

"Thank you." Andrea said. Dr. Matthews walked over and turned the monitor for the machine on. I heard it buzz as it slowly lit up. She grabbed a tub of gel on the side of the machine and turned to me.

"Sorry if the gel is cold. I ask them to keep it where it can get warm but no one listens to me." She sighed, pulling the bottom of my gown up. "Andrea, when you get to this part, always make sure to apply enough to cover the area but not too much." She said over her shoulder. She opened the cap of the bottle and squeezed, a squirt of the gel landing on my skin near my belly button. It was cold and I jumped slightly. She grabbed the wand for the ultrasound and rubbed the gel onto the lens part of it, smearing the gel across my abdomen. The screen was lit up now and she shifted so she could see it as she moved the wand.

"You're doing good." Andrea said, giving me a supportive smile. I haven't done anything yet, I thought, giving her a nod.

"Alright. So, we're going to scan the uterus and see what we can see. Kim, I'm going to guess that you're about six or seven weeks along. The sac is about that size. The uterus looks good from this angle as well." Dr. Matthews said, digging the wand into my gut. She pressed some buttons on a keyboard, typing now and then. "I'm taking measurements. It's how we can tell if the baby is growing correctly at your follow up appointments. Typically, we ask for ultrasounds every few weeks in the beginning to make sure everything is okay. Then we change to every two weeks, then one week. It just makes sure the baby is growing the way it should be." She asked to both Andrea and me. "How about we flipped this so you guys can see too?" She said, shifting the monitor so that it was facing towards us.

On the screen, all I could see was grey and black mush. As she moved, it would change shape and she would stop to type something in. Tommy grabbed my hand again, leaning in to see better. He looked fascinated and I knew he was thrilled about seeing our baby. A feeling of disappointment filled my chest. I was going to be letting him down like always. I held back tears as I stared at the screen, wishing this was different and that I could be happy.

"Let's hear the heartbeat, shall we?" Dr. Matthews said. She flipped a switch and there was an odd muffled sound coming from the back of the monitor. "Let's find it stronger." She moved the wand and a little beating noise filled the room. "There we are." She said, smiling at me. It was beating fast, almost matching the one that was in my chest. My eyes widened as I listened to the sound of the heart. The beating heart of my baby, sitting inside of me. There was another beating as well, mixing in with the first one.

"Are there two?" I whispered. She shook her head.

"Nope. That's your heartbeat. They are very similar." She replied. "Give me your hand." She took my other hand and placed it on the wand. She released and pulled her hand back, leaving me to hold it in place. The continuing beat of the hearts persisted on. "Hold it right there. Andrea and I will step out so the two of you can have a moment, alright?" She stood from the stool and guided Andrea out of the room. I couldn't bring my eyes to look away from the monitor where I now saw my uterus and the outline of a small round object in it.

"That's our baby." I whispered, turning to Tommy. It was then when I noticed the tears in his eyes. One slid down his cheek as he nodded, glancing at me. Something in my chest cracked as I turned back to the screen. Our hearts continued to beat together, sounded like a unified drumline. Together. Like they were the same. We were the same. They were a part of me like they were a part of Tommy.

"It sounds beautiful." He whispered, gripping my hand again.

"I want them." I said, shifting to look at him. "I want them to be here with us." His eyes widened.

"Are you sure?"

"No. But, how can I be? That baby is you and me. There's no way I can just give up on them now." I looked back at the screen. "I haven't even met them yet and I want to die for them."

"I love you." Tommy said, standing and kissing me on the lips.

"I love you, too. As long as you're here, I can do this."

"Always."

* * *

_**9 months later…**_

Crap, I thought, seeing a can of shaving cream fall out of the bag I was carrying into the kitchen. It hit the floor and rolled to the left a couple of feet, coming to a stop. I set the rest of the bags on the counter and glared down at the can. Bending, I tried to reach it but the protruding bulge that was my stomach stopped me. I tried again, groaning as I reached for it. It skimmed through my fingers slightly before rolling a couple inches mockingly. Swearing, I kicked it with my foot towards the kitchen doorway. I couldn't wait until I was able to bend over or see my toes again. It had been a while, to the point I forgot what they looked like.

In the past nine months, things hadn't always been easy. Tommy and I had some major fights along the way from the way we were going to raise our baby to finding out the gender. He wanted to know but I didn't, choosing to not personify the baby until that day. In the back of my mind, I knew there was still a chance I would back out on the day they came. I didn't want to chance us getting too attached if that was the case. And if I thought Tommy was a bit overprotective before, it was nothing compared to what he was now. I could barely go to the store without him asking if he needed to help me with anything. He was getting under my skin, something that was easy to do these days. That's why when he said he had a training conference a couple hours away, I was looking forward to the private time away from him. I still loved him with all my heart but a girl needs a break now and then. It was bad enough I had a tiny human growing in me. I didn't need him hovering around me as well.

It took some heavy convincing to get him to go. He was worried that he would miss something or that there would be a situation I would need him. It was cute that he worried but I knew I would be fine. Regardless, he made a schedule of who would be responsible for me and at what intervolves while he was gone. Currently, it was Jason's turn. He had called me this morning to tell me he'd be over shortly and that he'd be bringing Annie with him. I tried to tell him it was unnecessary but he knew that Tommy's wrath would be fierce if he didn't. In any regard, I was thrilled to see my goddaughter. She was a regular occurrence around here these days and I was excited to see the chubby cheeks of the two year old that looked more and more like Trini with each passing day.

Grabbing the grocery bag, I pulled it open and took out the tub of ice cream from inside. Walking to the fridge, I opened the freezer door and shoved it in there. As I turned to head back to the counter, I felt a cramp hit me in the stomach. I gasped, grabbing it. It was Braxton Hicks. I could tell from the way it radiated through my midregion to the back side. I leaned over the counter and breathes through my nose and out of my mouth, waiting for it to pass. A couple seconds later, it did. Standing up straight, I grabbed the bag and moved on to the next objects.

My pregnancy has been typical. My due date is next week and I felt like I looked similar to that of the Goodyear blimp, regardless of how much Tommy calls me beautiful. All of my test results have been great and there hasn't been an issue yet. My baby shower was three weeks ago and everything was set up in the nursery upstairs across from our bedroom. We had everything we needed for a baby except a baby, And that was the part that was giving me growing anxiety. Tommy might be convinced everything was going to be okay but my doubts still flew around me like elephants.

Opening the cabinet doors over the sink, I piled three cans of beans in there. Lifting the last one, the pain came back. The can clattered to the floor as I bent over. The pain was intense, filling my entire body. These were some serious Braxton-Hicks, making me feel nauseous. I gripped the sink and closed my eyes. I've been having these for the last two weeks, the pain coming and going whenever it felt the need. It was nothing too serious, just severe cramps that would pass. It was more annoying than anything in my mind but they made Tommy uneasy. When he left yesterday, he told me to call him if they came on. I knew calling him would only make him worry for no reason. I was going to ride through these without issue.

The pain ebbed away, allowing me to stand up straight. I moved to step towards the living room when the pain slammed into me again, this time sending me to my knees. I cried out loud, gripping my stomach. It was like fire, the cramping seizing my entire body. This was different now, I realized. I held my arm out, trying to reach the counter but I couldn't. A sharp wave of pain washed over me and I curled into a ball, holding my stomach. Phone. I needed to get to the phone.

Waiting until the pain faded slightly, I straightened out as much as my body would allow and crawled forward. The diamond shape of the tiles in the kitchen dug into my knees, causing me to wince. I was halfway to the island when the next round hit me. I fell to my side, crying loudly as it felt like a saw cutting through me. Tears clouded my eyes as I rolled onto my back. A sudden gush of warm between my thighs made me gasp loudly. Propping myself up, I saw that my jeans were getting darker, liquid filling the fabric. To my horror, I saw that there was blood following it as well. During our birthing classes, they had said I would see liquid like water when my water broke but no blood. I thought of every movie I had ever seen where there was an issue with the baby. Panic now set into the pit of my stomach.

"HELP!" I called out, hoping that someone could hear me outside. My hands were shaking as I laid back again. Another contraction hit and I swore loudly, the baby moving frantically inside. "It's okay." I panted, rubbing my belly. "It's okay." I glanced around, looking for anything that can help me get to my phone. I could see the strap of my purse falling over the edge of the counter, my phone tucked into the front pocket. Putting my feet on the ground, I pushed with my thighs. I moved slightly, the wet jeans sticking to the tile floor. My sneakers slipped in the slick mixture of blood and fluid. I tried to get my footing again but another contraction slammed into me. My stomach constricted and I dug my heels into the floor, trying to make the pain go away. My elbow whacked into the door of the oven that loomed over me. Reaching up, I grabbed the handle of the oven and pulled with all my weight in hopes of pulling myself up. It opened and flung me back to the floor with a painful thud. A sob escaped my lips as laid there, staring up at the ceiling.

"Hello?" Jason's voice called up the hallway. I heard the door shut and felt the vibration of it through the floor. Relief filled me as I heard him set something down on the floor near the door.

"Jason!" I cried out. I heard his quick footsteps come up the hallway and he appeared in the doorway, Annie in his arms. His eyes widened at the sight of me laying there, blood pooling around my waist. Running over, he set Annie down in the highchair in the corner before rushing to me. He knelt on the floor and held my head in his hand.

"We're gonna get you help, okay?" He said, grabbing his phone from the back pocket of his jeans. He dialed quickly before bringing the phone to his ear. "I need an ambulance."

The ambulance arrived and the paramedics wasted no time in loading me up into the vehicle. Aisha had arrived by then, taking Annie so Jason could ride in the back of the ambulance with me. The contractions were coming closer now and each time, I squeezed Jason's hand. The sirens wailed as the ambulance sped away from my house. The paramedic in the back of the ambulance, a woman a few years younger than me, placed an oxygen mask over my mouth and nose. I pushed it away, turning to Jason.

"Did you get ahold of Tommy?" I asked. Jason shook his head. He had called Tommy after 911 but he hadn't answered. He left him a voicemail, telling him to get back as soon as possible.

"Not yet. I will though. He'll be there." He reassured me, patting my hand. He pulled the mask on me and I didn't protest, closing my eyes as we rode to the hospital. When we arrived, a nurse and Dr. Matthews met us right at the emergency room doors. They unloaded the gurney from the ambulance and Dr. Matthews smiled at me as she helped wheel me towards the double doors.

"Leave it to you to be early, Kim." She said, holding the rails of the bed. I let out a weak laugh, sweat pouring down my face and neck. I felt weak, very weak. I hadn't even done any pushing yet.

"Gotta keep you on your toes." I said. We went through another set of doors and they took a left turn towards the elevators.

"That you do. We're going to get you up to the room and examine what's going on. Are you having contractions?" She asked.

"Every two minutes." Jason replied, reminding me he was standing at the head of my bed. He had met Dr. Matthews a few weeks ago, after Tommy found out about the business trip. It was just in case something like this happened. My mind went to Tommy again. He wasn't going to make it, I thought.

"That's a good sign! I think baby Oliver is ready to make their appearance." She said, the elevator doors opening. We piled in, everyone cramming around me. Another contraction came and she held my hand through it, panting coming from me as I tried not to scream. "Keep breathing. Just like that. You're doing good." She said, assuring me. It faded away and I collapsed back on the bed.

"Jason, you need to get Tommy." I whimpered, closing my eyes.

"I'm going to, Kimmy. I promise." He replied. The doors opened and I was wheeled off again, this time going right. I was placed into a room and transferred into an actually hospital bed. Dr. Matthews and a nurse helped me change from my clothes into a hospital gown and then she hooked up monitors to me. All the while, the baby was moving inside of me. Each contraction made them wiggle more and it made me calm slightly each time.

"Alright. Let's take a look." Dr. Matthews said, bending my kneels before wheeling a stool over to sit between them. A nurse stood behind her, helping hold my legs still. I gasped as I felt her fingers go up into a place a baby was trying to escape from. It burned like a bitch and I fought the urge to yank them out. Jason stood uncomfortably at the head of my bed, doing his best not to look at what she was doing. She shifted her fingers and I thought I was going to fly through the ceiling before she took them out.

"Is everything okay?" I asked. Dr. Matthews didn't smile as she took her gloves off. She threw them into the garbage bin labeled medical waste. She leaned into to say something to the nurse who nodded and walked out.

"Kim, I'm not going to lie to you, okay? I'm pretty sure you're having a placental abruption. It's something that can happen before birth when the water breaks." She said, resting a hand on my knee.

"What does that mean? Is the baby going to be okay?" I asked, worry sinking into me all over again.

"They will be but we need to remove the baby as soon as possible. If not, both of you are at risk. I'm going to get the rest of my team together and we will get you up to surgery right away."

"But Tommy isn't here yet!" I exclaimed, glancing back over at Jason who looked more anxious now. "I can't go in there without him being here. What if…" I trailed off.

"Keep trying to reach him but the longer we wait, the more risk there is." She patted my leg before leaving the room. Jason paced at the foot of my bed, his cell phone in hand. He brought it to his ear and listened for a minute. He swore, pressing buttons on it again and bringing it to his ear. Nothing.

"I'll get him." He said, giving me a reassuring smile.

"Come here, Jason." I said, waving him over. He stepped closer and I grabbed his hand. "If something happens to me while I'm there-."

"Don't." He said, shaking his head. "You're going to be fine."

"You need to listen to me. If things go bad in there, I need you to tell Tommy I love him and that he was right. Having this baby was the best decision I ever made in my life, after being with him. Cause with how much I didn't want it to happen, all I can think about is how much I need for it to happen and for them to be okay. If I don't make it but they do, please help Tommy take care of them." Jason reached out and took my hand in his.

"You're going to be okay." He said but I could see a fine mist in his eyes that he tried to blink away. "Someone has to hang around to make sure us assholes stay in line. Aisha can't do it alone again." I smiled, letting out a soft chuckle.

"I'll do my best." The door of my room opened and Dr. Matthews appeared again, two nurses with her. Jason leaned over and kissed the top of my head before stepping out of the way. The nurses unhooked me for the other monitors and unlocked the bed.

"We're going to head down to the OR and get things going." Dr. Matthews said. "We're having troubles getting yours and the heart rate of the baby up."

"Please save them." I whispered. "Please save my baby."

"We're going to do whatever we can to save you both." She said, smiling at me. The nurses pushed me into the hallway and headed towards a long stretch of hall. In the distance, I could hear the sound of sneakers slapping the tile floor.

"Kimberly!" Tommy's voice called out. I pulled myself up, looking over the top of the bed. He was standing in the doorway by my room.

"Tommy!" I yelled. His frantic eyes turned towards us and he sprinted forward. The nurse on the left of me shifted, allowing Tommy to appear next to me. He was panting, out of breath from running here.

"I'm here. I'm here. What's going on?" He asked.

"There's something going on with the placenta." I said, grabbing his hands. "They think something is wrong with the baby and me." He looked worried for a second but hid it before I could say anything.

"Well, you're a fighter and god knows our baby will be too." He kissed my hand and smiled, helping push my bed towards a set of double doors.

"You'll need to wait here, Tommy." Dr. Matthews said. Tommy nodded, our group coming to a stop.

"I'll be there when you wake up, okay?" He said, kissing my forehead and brushing the hair out of my face. "This might be the most sleep you get in a long time so enjoy it."

"I'm scared." I whispered, gazing up at him. "Are you?"

"More than ever, Beautiful. Come back to me. I'll be right here waiting for you and our little one. I love you."

"I love you too." He kissed me quickly before they rolled me through the doors and out of sight.

* * *

The throbbing in my head confused me at first. Had I been out drinking? The last thing I could recall was sitting at the bar with Joey. Now, all I could piece together was darkness and the dull ache in my entire body. And the eternal pounding. What the hell was that? I tried to blink it away but found my eyes were too heavy to open. Exhaustion racked my entire body. Shit. I guess I had done quite the rager last night. This was probably the hangover hitting me that I more than deserved.

After a few moments, I was finally able to open my eyes. The bright light that was there when I did shot pain right through every molecule of my body. It was extremely bright and hanging right above me, unlike any type of sunlight that came through my window. I shifted my head to avoid it, closing my eyes again. Under my head, I heard the rustling of thin pillow cases moving as I did. I wasn't home, that's for sure. I finally braved another look and opened my right eye. I saw I was in a room painted with light blue paint and white trim, a sink on one wall and a bathtub built into the other. A bathtub? What the hell? Was this some kind of smaller hotel room?

When the sight of a changing table in the corner of the room caught my eye, it suddenly felt like there was a flood in my brain. Everything came back to me; Tommy, us being together, us being pregnant. I was here having the baby after I collapsed on the floor. Panic filled my chest as I tried to sit up. The IV in my hand pinched, showing me I was attached to the tall silver pole next to my bed. There was a soreness between my legs that made me gasp for a second but I was more concerned about finding Tommy and the baby. Had they been alright? Had they been able to save them?

"You're away." A voice said as the door on the left side of the room opened. Tommy stuck his head inside, following with his body. He was carrying a cup of coffee in one hand and a balloon in the other. Setting both of these things down, he walked over and kissed the top of my head. Patting my hair back, he smiled as he sat on my bed. "I was afraid I'd never see those big beautiful brown eyes again."

"What happened?" I whispered, my voice hoarse.

"They took you to surgery. It was a little touch and go for a little bit but Dr. Matthews managed to repair the damage caused by the placenta rupturing." Tommy explained, holding my hand. It didn't take me long to realize there was no baby in the room. If there was no baby in here, it must have meant that they didn't make it out of that OR room alive.

"Did they die?" I whispered, tears clouding my eyes. Tommy looked at me confused, like there was someone else I should be talking about.

"What are you talking about?" He asked.

"The baby. Where's the baby?" I shot back, sitting up in my bed. Tommy stood up, smiling at me.

"Hold on." He disappeared out the door again, causing my anxiety to go through the roof while I laid here. Three minutes later, he returned. Only this time, he was pulling a little cart behind him. Letting the door close behind him, he turned so I could see the little bundle wrapped in a pink hospital gown. I gasped, my eyes wide at the sight of our daughter laying there. "She was getting her feeding in the nursery." He cooed, reaching in and picking up the sleeping baby. He walked over towards me and I felt tears in my eyes. Carefully, Tommy bent and placed her in my arms. She barely moved, choosing to slip into a food coma after eating.

"She's perfect." I whispered, gazing down at her. I could see some of my features on her face. We had the same nose and it twitched in her sleep like mine. The rest of her was all Tommy though. From the shape of his face down to the length of her long eyelashes. Everything about her was Tommy. I hugged her into my chest, letting out a little sob as I did. Closing my eyes, I let the tears flow. How on Earth had we managed to make such a perfect little human? How could I, a recovering alcoholic who was destined to be a forever fuck up, be the mother of this little bundle of joy? It couldn't be possible. The universe didn't work that way.

"You okay, beautiful?" Tommy whispered, running a hand over my hair. I opened my watery eyes and nodded, not wanting to wake her up. Tommy sat on the edge of the bed next to me and rested a hand on her back. "They came out and told me that the baby was fine but they were afraid you were too close too gone. You lost a lot of blood. They were able to stop it though and stabilize you. I'm grateful. I couldn't imagine raising this little one without you."

"Before they put me under, all I could think about was how much I wanted her or him to be alright. And how much I would be willing to give for them to have a life here. I was so scared that they weren't going to make it. I couldn't believe how much I love someone I didn't even know." I said softly, kissing the top of my daughter's head. "I was stupid for thinking that she would be better off with other people. I never should have thought about giving her away. You were right, Tommy."

"You had the right to be cautious. It meant you cared. I'm glad you decided to go this route." He smiled, leaning in to kiss me. "There is one thing we still need to do though."

"What's that?" I asked, looking at him confused.

"This little one needs a name. Not that I don't mind Baby Girl Oliver but I think she deserves a better name than that."

"Oh!" I gazed down at her and took in her face, the soft rosy skin on her cheeks. She smelled sweet and felt warm against my skin. "How about Trini Hope Oliver?" I asked, glancing up at Tommy. He smiled, nodding as he stroked the top of her head.

"I think it's perfect." Trini's nose crinkled and her eyes opened slowly, one at a time. Giant doe eyes blinked up at me, the orbs reminding me of me. She stared for a moment before snuggling back into me, falling back asleep.

"This is something I never could have imagined happening. Not even drunk me." I whispered. "And now, it's all I've ever wanted."


	7. Chapter 7

_**A/N: Hi everyone! Here is a one-shot that kit me today. It's a one-shot to follow up with Marry Me, my other fic. If you haven't read that, you might want to before reading this. The idea for this came from the song Forever Remember You Young by Thomas Rhett. I highly suggest you watch it! He's a handsome little guy. So song credits go to him and I have no rights to the Power Rangers.**_

_**FYI - I cried writing this. You've been warned! :)**_

* * *

_**Remember You Young**_

_A Marry Me One-Shot_

The small bell above the door rang as a customer entered, the young man glancing around the diner. I watched from my seat as he spotted a girl about his age sitting in a booth three tables from mine. She had come in a few minutes ago, her hair curled to perfection. She had given herself a small little pep talk the entire time she waited nervously playing with the spoon in her glass of ice tea. I had watched with a smile, taking in the caramel brown color of her hair and the fair tone of her skin. The boy sat across from her and reached out, taking her hands in his. Instantly, I could see the tension in her shoulders fade away and I could almost imagine the smile on her lips. He brought her one hand to his lips and he pressed a soft kiss on the back of it. A giggle came from their direction and I smiled again behind my coffee cup as I drained the rest of the liquid.

"Can I get you anything else, dear?" The waitress said as she walked over to my booth. I shook my head, setting my cup down on the Formica table top. She smiled, taking the cup and my empty plate away, leaving the check in its place. I didn't move to flip the small piece of paper over before putting a twenty-dollar bill on top of it. I knew it wouldn't be more than ten dollars at the most but the waitress had done a great job at attending to not only my needs but everyone else around me. Straightening my tie, I slid out of the booth and grabbed my bag from the seat next to where I had been sitting. The dark brown leather bag fit nicely over my shoulder with its strap. As I moved to head to the door, my eyes fell on the couple again. I retrieved my wallet from my back pocket and pulled out another twenty-dollar bill. The waitress walked towards me and I held it out to her.

"Can you put this towards their bill?" I asked softly, motioning my head towards the couple. She glanced over my shoulder at them, a grin on her face.

"I sure can. You have a good day, alright?" She replied, taking the money from my hand.

"You, too. Thank you." I gave her a smile and headed out the door. The three steps beyond it gave me some trouble, my knees not bending so greatly these days. I gripped the railing to ensure I wouldn't fall, safely making it to the sidewalk. I walked towards my truck, pulling my keys from my pant's pocket. Unlocking the door, I carefully set the back in the passenger seat before climbing inside.

_Hey, buddies that I grew up with_

_All straight-laced and married up now_

_You ain't foolin' me, wasn't long ago_

_We tore the roof off that one red light town_

_And hey, darlin', sippin' that red wine_

_All classy, kicked back on the couch_

_You smile and I see ya shootin' tequila_

_Us shuttin' them college bars down_

The hallway was bustling as students did their best to collect their items from their lockers before the bell was set to ring. I glanced down at the schedule in my hand, trying to figure out which class I had first. I hated starting new schools. It was like walking into a strange place with strange people and being expected to be okay by yourself. I had almost begged my mom this morning to let me stay home. Tomorrow was another day. I decided against it though, knowing she'd give me some speech about trying new things and being the best person I can be. I opted to just facing this torture rather than that. I avoided colliding with a guy coming up the hallway, his nose buried in a science book. I recognized a couple of the kids from the youth center. Since my competition last week, I had taken to hanging out there a bit in hopes of getting to know some people. The kid I had faced in the final match had been there a few times, making small talk with me. His name was Jason and seemed to be a pretty good guy. He had a huge group of friends around him all the time though, making it hard to approach him without feeling like I was on the spot.

Rounding the corner, I found myself in the main corridor of the school. Kids were filing down the staircase behind me, heading to the science wing up the hall. At the end, I spotted the school emblem on the wall. I still wasn't grasping the color scheme here. The walls were an awful peach color, the floors a pink and fleshy tiles with random green ones tossed in there. At least the lockers matched them, a puke green teal color that reminded me of something I saw in a baby's diaper once when my nephews were little. There were kids in front of lockers, unloading books from inside to head to class. I hadn't been assigned mine yet, the office working on finding me one in the same wing as the other tenth graders. I hoped it was soon. I was getting tired of carrying everything I brought with me today around the school.

"Hey, babe." I heard a voice say as I headed up the hall. To my left, I saw two guys who were dressed in the oddest clothes I had ever seen. The bigger guy was in dark jeans, a leather jacket over a purple t-shirt, and had a jean vest on over that. He had longer hair, pulled back in a tiny ponytail at the back of his head. Combat boots adorned his feet, the laces untied and dangling onto the floor. He was chomping on a Moon Pie, the chocolate desert in his hand. His friend was scrawnier than him and dressed in a salmon colored t-shirt, a black sweater over this. He wore camouflage pants that were tinted red and had a red scarf tied tightly around his neck. There was a silver chain and a dog collar around his neck as well, a red beret on top of slicked back black hair. These two looked like they were pulled right out of a television show somewhere. "Need a big, strong man to help you with your books?" The skinny one said, holding up his arms in a way to show off his "muscles" that were apparently invisible to me. When he did, I could spot a girl standing in front of him. Her locker was open and she was pulling books from inside, piling them in her arms.

"Dream on, Skull." She replied, sending him a look of disgust. I stopped walking, drawn to the situation. I had seen the girl before. She was a frequent visitor of the youth center and hung out with Jason. At first, I thought the two were an item based on their interactions. After some asking around, I found out they were just really good friends. For some reason, that made me happy. It wasn't like I actually knew the girl. We hadn't even spoken a word to each other. But I had seen her at the tournament and ever since, she just seemed to catch my eye whenever she was near.

"Okay." The bigger guy said. He opened up the jean vest and tucked the unfinished cookie into a breast pocket. "Time to teach her a lesson."

"Hey." I heard myself call out, unsure if I had actually spoken or not. I stepped forward, approaching the two. "Didn't you hear the lady?" Lady? Who the hell calls somebody my age a lady? What the hell was I doing right now? The two turned around to face me, spreading apart enough so I could see her more clearly. She had chestnut brown hair cut to her shoulders and a pink t-shirt that fitted her well. She wore a necklace that matched the gold earrings that dangled from her ears, making them sparkle against her nicely tanned skin. She was much prettier up close. "She said no." I glared between the two idiots. The two exchanged glances, the fatter one shaking his head before turning back to look at me.

"I think it's time for somebody else to be taught a lesson." He said. The skinny one chomped his teeth towards me and I raised my hands. I knew these two baboons were nothing special. I moved my hands quickly, making it through my kata. I called out as I did so, making myself seem bigger in the process. Soon, I found myself doing kicks in the air as well, spinning as I did so. With each move, their eyes widened and their jaws dropped. Fear etched on their faces as I demonstrated just what they were dealing with.

"Siyah!" I exclaimed, coming to a stop. I held my fists still, staring at the two. The backed up, stammering as they put distance between us.

"Maybe we'll teach you that lesson some other time!" The fat one said, his sidekick smiling widely. They turned towards each other quickly, scurrying away. I took a couple steps towards them, making sure they were truly going to leave her alone. They took off around the corner, out of sight. I turned my attention towards the girl who laughed as she watched them vanish. She turned back to me, a brilliant smile on her face.

"Thanks, that was really great." She said, hugging her books to her chest.

"Sure." I replied, my nerves threatening to seize up. What the hell was going on? I've never been this nervous to talk to someone before. It felt like I was gearing up to run away any second. I had to get out of there before things got awkward and I ruined it. "I'll see you later." I said, returning the smile and turning to walk away. It was the wrong direction but it worked.

"Hey!" I heard her voice call out, stopping me in my tracks. She was calling out for me? I turned, the wide smile on my face too hard to hide. "I'm Kimberly. You're new around here, aren't you?" She asked as I stepped towards her again.

"Yeah." I replied, stopping a couple feet from her. "I'm Tommy."

"Hi!" She said, holding her hand out to me. I took it, praying that my hand wasn't clammy or sweaty.

"Hi." I replied, shaking it gently. It was soft and her skin felt warm in mine. She hesitated to pull it back from me but when she did, she tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. I wished I could hold her hand again. From where I stood, I could smell her shampoo. It smelt of cherry blossoms and vanilla, the scent washing over me like a warm bath.

"Um, listen. Do you wanna get together with some of us after school? You know nothing major, just hang out at the youth center?" She asked, shrugging her shoulders. I noticed she hugged her books closer to her as she asked, making me wonder if she was just as nervous as I felt. My heart was thundering so loudly; I didn't have to question if she could hear it or not.

"Yeah. That sounds cool." I replied, nodding.

"Okay!" She said, sounding relieved. A silence fell between us for a second and the fear of awkwardness came creeping in again.

"Well, I'll see you then." I turned heading towards the stairs. "Bye!" I called over my shoulder.

"Bye!" I heard her call after me. I jogged up the stairs, telling myself to not look back at her. When I reached the top, I scooted over to the corner by the doorway. I knew her name now. Kimberly. And I was going to be seeing her later. Excitement rippled through me at the thought.

Now I just had to figure out how to get to my next class from here.

_And no matter how much time goes by_

_And no matter how much we grow up_

_For worse or for better, from now 'til forever_

_I'll always remember you young_

The road stretched out for what felt like an eternity in front of me as I drove. The long and winding stretch I was on now was recently paved, the tires of this old truck gliding like butter over it. On either side, there were rolling hills and tall grass blowing in the breeze. Cows spotted the countryside here or there, fitting in with the scenery. The skies above were blue as could be, wisps of white clouds painted here or there across it. It resembled that of a painting, deserving to be hung in a museum somewhere for the world to see. I felt blessed to be able to see it now, wondering if God had left it here just for me.

Twenty minutes down the road, I felt a cramp forming in my leg. I pulled off to the side of the road, making sure my truck was in the shoulder safely. I climbed out, stretching my legs and walking around to the front of my truck. I still had another hour left for my trip, sixty or so miles until I arrived. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath. I swore I could smell the ocean already and the sea salt in the air. Opening them again, I saw that were was a cow pasture next to where I had pulled over. A fence coated in barbed wire was set up, keeping the cows inside. I saw that along the fence, there were bunches of different colored wild flowers sprouting up. When my eyes landed on a bright pink group, I knew what I had to do.

Using the truck for good leverage, I walked down the tiny embankment that led to the flowers. Careful of any type of thornes, I plucked bunches of the floors. I was gentle with them, not wanting to hurt them in any way. I also picked some purple and yellow flowers, adding to my bouquet. She would like these. I knew she would. Pink and purple are her favorite colors, yellow following close behind. I could picture her face upon seeing them, her doe brown eyes lighting up like a kid on Christmas.

Turning, I pulled myself back up from the ditch and secured the flowers together with a stem of one of them. It looked like a healthy array of flowers, the smell wafting over me. For a moment, I thought I smelt vanilla and I smiled. Walking over to the truck door, I climbed in and set the flowers on top of the leather bag in the passenger seat. I brought the truck back to life before heading back out onto the roadway.

_And hey, babies, crawlin' on the carpet_

_No, you won't be that little for long_

_One day, you'll move away, but you're still gonna stay_

_This innocent after you're gone_

"Daddy!" An excited voice cried as I stepped through the front door of our house. I was caught by surprise as my daughter, Hope, came booking it at top speed from the end of the hallway. Her headful of dark brown hair bounced behind her as the five-year-old leapt up into my arms. I had just enough time to set my gym bag down on the ground to catch her. She squeezed her arms tightly around my neck and I hugged her back, enjoying the affection.

"Why, hello there." I said, looking down at her. The perfect combination of Kim and I looked back up at me. I will forever be grateful for the fact she had Kim's eyes. Those beautiful pools of golden brown that will sink any man to their knees if they wanted something. She was going to be a handful when it came time to that but thankfully, I had plenty of time before having to worry. "Where's Mommy?" I asked, walking up the hallway. Hope pointed up the hallway towards the kitchen.

"Making sghetti." She replied, doing her best to say 'spaghetti.' It was a work in progress, something we would have to keep working on. She was very bright for her age and her kindergarten teacher loved her. Overall, Kim and I were extremely lucky to have such a good kid. She had her moments but she was generally well behaved. I gave Kim all the credit for that. Seeing the two of them together would explain all of that to you.

Walking into the kitchen, I saw that there were three plates set up on the table in the corner, spaghetti covering them. There were three cups here as well, forks messily tossed on the table with them. Hope must have helped set the table. I set her down, giving her a kiss on the cheek before doing so. Kim was behind the counter, her back to me as she ran water in the sink. I walked towards her, wrapping my arms around her waist. I felt her let out a small giggle as I kissed the top of her head.

"Hi, beautiful." I said softly, hugging her against me. She continued to fill the pot in her hand with water, suds forming on the surface.

"Hey there, handsome. How was work?" She asked, turning the water off.

"Long. I'm glad to be home with you." I said, nuzzling her neck with my nose. She set the pot down in the sink and turned to face me. She was just as beautiful now as she was the day I first met her. Her hair was longer now, swept up in a ponytail on the back of her head. I could tell that she had classes today, her pink leotard underneath the grey sweatshirt she wore and her leggings. She wrapped her arms around me and stood on her tippy toes to kiss me on the lips.

"Good. You can help me with the laundry." She replied, shooting me a wink. I groaned as she released me. She moved passed me, skirting around the corner. "Hope, Daddy and I are going to get the laundry. Can you go wash up for dinner?" She asked, putting a hand on Hope's head. She nodded in return, fixing the fork in front of her.

"Yes, Mommy." She said, skipping off towards the stairs. I followed behind Kim as she headed out of the kitchen and towards the laundry room. I could smell the faint aroma of vanilla in the air, her signature scent. It brought a smile to my lips and a warm feeling in my chest. It still amazes me, day after day, that this woman was mine. After the close encounter of almost marrying another woman, there wasn't a day that I didn't thank God or whoever was watching over me for bringing Kim back into my life. I had thought for sure that the door on our time together was over until she came back, kicking it back open again. And when Hope came along, my heart became so filled with love for the both of them, I was sure it was going to burst open at any moment. There was no one else on this Earth that I would die for, I knew that as a fact.

"You with me back there?" She asked, smiling at me over her shoulder. I nodded, realizing that I must have dazed off, staring at her. It was something I was often guilty for. Having someone so beautiful to look at was a good enough reason in my book. The fact she was my wife forever and always made me a giddy school kid sometimes.

"Just thinking about work." I replied as she walked through the doorway of the laundry room. The washer and dryer were here, baskets piled on top of them. Random articles of clothing were scattered on the floor here and there was a shelf above the machines I had built when we moved in here. Kim pulled open the front door of the dryer and yanked out a mass of clothes from inside. She made a look of disgust as she stepped back, a wet stain on the front of her sweatshirt.

"They're still wet." She groaned, shoving them back in. "I think the dryer is starting to go."

"Great. Add that to the water heater being on its last legs and your car getting ready to explode, I'd say we've got enough bills to put us in the poor house by next month." I grumbled, walking over to look at the back of the machine. I didn't know much about electronic stuff like this. It would be more of a Billy or Jason type deal.

"Well, that and I'm pregnant." She stated. I stood up quickly at her comment, my head making contact with the shelf above. I saw stars as the corner of it jabs into the back of my head. I winced, slapping my hand on the spot. Swearing, I pulled it away to expect for blood. I didn't see any, my attention turning back to her.

"What?" I asked, stepping towards her. She smiled, nodding.

"The Olivers are growing." She replied.

"But how? I mean, I know how. But I thought we were being careful." She shrugged, bending over and picking up some of the clothes that were scattered on the floor It was Hope's dress up clothes, princess dresses and a cape.

"We were but sometimes, these things happen."

"I...I just….can we handle this?" I asked softly, running a hand over the back of my head. I felt a slight bump forming from where I had collided with the shelf.

"If I didn't know any better, I would say that Tommy Oliver was scared." She said, smirking at me.

"Well, yeah! We're living paycheck to paycheck right now. I'm not sure if we're going to be able to afford another baby right now. We've got so much going on. I'm still getting used to being a dad and Hope is 5! What happens if we fall behind or we end up drowning because of this? What if-." She dropped what she was holding and stepped over to me, pressing her lips to mine. This stopped me from speaking as she rested her hand on my shoulders. Pulling away, she smiled up at me.

"We've got this, handsome. We've fought the world's biggest monsters, Two kids will be nothing compared to that." She smiled, stroking my cheek. And just like that, all of the fear and anxiety inside of me melted away.

"Another baby." I said, smiling. She nodded, moving away to rest a hand on her stomach. I placed a hand over hers. "I think you're right. I think we go have this." I could notice know that there was a bump growing here. Had she been this good at hiding it or have I just not noticed it? She seemed to start glowing right in front of my eyes.

"Good." She said, kissing my cheek. Turning, she grabbed Hope's costumes again and headed towards the door. "By the way," She said, stopping to look at me over her shoulder. "It's a boy."

_Cause no matter how much time goes by_

_And no matter how much you grow up_

_For worse or for better, from now 'til forever_

_I'll always remember you young_

The clear blue sky followed me as I rolled into town. The faded buildings and the new ones merged together, creating a city skyline I didn't recall seeing when I was younger. There was more traffic now too, cars backed up for a couple minutes while they waited for the lights to change. I sat back in my seat, strumming on the steering wheel of my truck as I waited patiently for my turn to go. People passed me, hoping to get to their destinations faster. I thought to myself how that had been me once, hoping to get from point A to B faster than everyone else. Now, it seemed silly to me.

Taking a right, I found myself gliding down the back street. Soon, I came upon a parking lot that was mostly vacant. I chopped it up to the early morning hour. Most people were still at work or getting ready to head home. Not many have time to head to the park in the middle of the week. I did spot a couple people here and there, walking dogs and holding hands. It brought a smile to my face, remembering the times I walked the familiar paths here. PArking in the farthest spot, I cut the engine and tucked the keys into the pocket of my pants. I carefully picked up the flowers, tucking them into the top of the leather bag. I climbed out, putting the strap of the bag over my shoulder. I closed the door, locking the truck up.

_Cause no matter how much time goes by_

_And no matter how much you grow up_

_For worse or for better, from now 'til forever_

_I'll always remember you young_

"Ladies and gentlemen! I've been asked to request Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Oliver to the middle of the dance floor." The DJ's voice announced over the loudspeaker. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw that he was standing in front of his station, his black suit looking contrasted against the white of the dress Hope wore next to him. She smiled brightly at me, her long dark brown hair curled around her perfectly made face. She still looked beautiful, the couple hours since they finished with her making no difference. I turned my attention to Kimberly who was on the other side of the room. She raised an eyebrow at me, silently questioning me as to what was happening. I shrugged, excusing myself from talking to Aisha and Rocky who were smiling at one another. They clearly knew what was happening.

"Come on, Mr. O!" Kendra, Hope's best friend, said to me as she grabbed me by the elbow. She pulled me towards the dance floor, Jack helping his mother to the dance floor. He gave Kim a kiss on the cheek, the twenty five year old shooting me a wink as he walked over to stand by Hope.

"It seems like the bride's parents themselves are going to be celebrating a big event themselves in the next couple of weeks." The DJ said into the mic, everyone's eyes turning to face us. "Kimberly and Tommy have been married for thirty years as of next week!" There were cheers around the room, people applauding. I spotted Jason in the background, his arm around Trini's shoulder. Their daughter, Claire, was standing with the other bridesmaids who were smiling at us. "The bride has a couple words that her and her brother would like to say." The DJ handed Hope the microphone and stepped to the side.

"Mom. Dad. Jack and I just wanted to thank you for everything the two of you have done for us over the years. Most people can't say that they have the best parents in the world but we're so lucky to say we do. I know most kids think that it's gross when their parents kiss and stuff in front of them but I think it's the sweetest thing in the world when I see Dad grab Mom's hand or when you fall asleep on the couch together a couple minutes into a movie that took you hours to pick out. I pray every day that Bradley and I can have the type of marriage the two of you have and that we can fall in love with each other every day like JAck and I were able to see the two of you do each day." I saw tears fill Hope's eyes and she dabbed at them with a tissue as Jack rubbed her back. She had grown to look so much like her mother that it made my heart swell. She was taller than her but that nose and those eyes were all Kim. She handed Jack the mic to compose herself.

"I just wanted to add that it's not easy to raise two kids. Especially when it's Hope and I." The room laughed, the sound seeming to echo around us. "You two managed to not only keep us alive but also keep a marriage filled with love for this long. Hope and I are honored to call you our parents." I felt tears fill my eyes as I wrapped an arm around Kimberly who had tears streaming down her face, beaming at the kids. "We love you both and this next song is for you." The DJ walked around to the computer on the table. The beginning chords of a song began to play, the sound filling the banquet hall. It took me a moment to realize it was the song, 'I Will Always Love You.' The same song that Kim had sang all those years ago, trying to decide if she would sing at my wedding for Kat. It was like an entire lifetime ago.

"Shall I have this dance?" I asked, holding a hand out to Kim. She nodded, wiping the tears from her face as she took it. I wrapped my arms around her, feeling the silk of the pink dress under my fingers as I held her close. I gazed down at my beautiful wife, taking all her features in as I swayed back and forth to the music.

"I think your kids are out to kill me." She said, sniffling. I smirked, nodding.

"I think so too. I'll have to take it up with their mother on how she raised such great kids."

"I'm not too sure it was all her. I heard their father was a pretty good man himself. He has something to be proud of."

"He sure does." I said softly, kissing the top of her head. Thirty years with this woman felt like a blink of the eye, going by so quickly. I would give anything in the world to have time slow down. I still was having trouble believing that we were at Hope's wedding. She had married a nice guy. Bradley was a lawyer for a small firm in town and treated her the way any guy would expect a guy to treat his daughter. Which was probably a good thing seeing as she had Kim's attitude through and through. Hope was well on her way to a successful career as an interior designer. She had the world at her feet and she was going to make something of herself. Jack was too. He was well into his senior year of college, aiming to graduate with a Masters in Marine Biology at the end of the semester. How we had managed to raise such two great kids was beyond me, especially with me trying to help. I'm sure we fumbled now and then but just looking at them now, there was no other way I would have wanted them to turn out.

"So, you sick of me yet?" Kim asked, grinning up at me. I shrugged, giving her a wink.

"Not quite. I think I have another thirty years before that will happen." She laughed, shaking her head.

"Pretty sure I will be dead before that, Tommy." She said. "But I would love to spend forever with you."

"You will. Our story is one of those ones that lasts so long, people start to wonder how the hell we managed to stay together for that long." I tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. Her hair had greyed some now but those bright eyes of hers still sparkled. She often complains about crows feet and wrinkles but I never see them. When I look at her, I see that girl I saw in the hallway all those years ago. She'll forever be her to me.

"I'm so grateful that my creepy weasel of a boss made me quit that day. I never would have come back here if he didn't." She said, stroking the back of my neck.

"I'm so glad a pushy Australian woman demanded that you help plan our wedding." I said,. She narrowed her eyes, the smile still on her face though.

"I thought we agreed not to speak of that ever again."

"Right. Sorry. Then I'm grateful that you kissed me that night and ruined my wedding."

"I'm grateful that you finally realized how stupid you were being." I laughed, nodding my head.

"I'm grateful that you found your way back to me." I said softly.

"Good cause I'm not going anywhere for a long time." She pressed her lips to mine, her arms wrapping around my shoulders. I could hear cheering around us but everything faded away as I held the love of my life in my arms.

_Yeah, I hope when we get to Heaven_

_He looks at us all like we're kids_

_Shameless and painless and perfect and ageless_

_Forgives all the wrong that we did_

The path along the park seemed longer than it used to be. I found myself out of breath after the first small hill. I continued on, gripping the strap of my bag in my hand. Birds were chirping around me in the trees, the cherry blossoms in full bloom along the walkway. Their petals fell to the ground, the wind taking them and their perfume into the air as it blew. They were blooming late this year, the summer days growing longer as the hotter months approached us. Soon, it would be scorching outside and hot enough to fry an egg on the sidewalk. Today was perfect though.

I was surprised to see that the park was the same as the last time I had been here. The path led passed the volleyball court and the basketball hoops, both currently empty. I also walked by the picnic area, a couple people lingering here at tables on their lunches more than likely. No one looked up as I passed, me blending into the scenery to them as they scrolled through their phones in their hands. I moved silently without a word, enjoying everything that was happening around me. From the warm sun on my face to the scent of the air absorbing into my senses. I didn't want to forget anything about today.

In the distance, I could see the sun reflecting off the surface of the lake in the middle of the park. It has always been a mystery to me why there was a random body of what in the dead center of town. The cherry blossoms lined the water line here, large rocks creating a border for the water. The path went from asphalt to grey cobblestones as I moved faster, making my footing go slower. It wasn't as flat and made it hard to keep my balance in some places. A small clearing with three large boulders appeared and I came to a stop. Carefully, I stepped passed the rocks and made my way to the sanded shore below it.

The water lapped at the sand as I set my bag down on one of the rocks that was still close to me. It felt like another here, as if someone had teleported me to the beach a few miles away. I closed my eyes, enjoying the sun on my face and the sound of the water below. The sea salt was there, it burning my nostrils slightly as I took a deep breath. Opening my eyes, I turned to glance at the path. No one was visible in either direction, granting me the privacy I had hoped to get. Walking over to the bag, I pulled the flowers from it and straighten them out where they had been crushed slightly.

"I hope you like these." I said, shifting back towards the water. I bent over, placing the bunch on the sand near the water. "I saw them on the side of the road and they made me think of you. Especially that time when we were broken down on the interstate with Hope who was cranky as hell. You made sure she was preoccupied while we waited for the tow truck. I don't think I can even remember a time where I had seen her concentrate so hard on something when she was making those flower crowns. You have such a way with her." Standing up straight, I tucked my hands into the pockets of my coat. "She had here baby last month. It was a girl that she named Annie. She has your eyes and your smile. I'm pretty sure your attitude too but only time will tell." The wind blew and a gust of wind filled with cherry blossoms went up into the air, the petals landing on the surface of the water, shading it pink.

"Jack's doing well. Him and Becca are hoping to hear back soon about their house. It's beautiful. It reminds me of the one your parents had when I first met you. They're really loving Seattle. He keeps asking me to come up there while Hope begs me to come to LA. There's nothing like Angel Grove, now is there Beautiful?" Sighing, I shifted to face the bag again. Undoing the clasps, I reached in and pulled out the urn. Painted silver, the delicately carved vase like container felt heavy in my hands as I held it. Kimberly was carved in the front of it, the image of a crane underneath it. Her symbol of beauty and grace, given to her when we were at our prime.

"Happy anniversary, Beautiful. Sixty years together. Though it's not the way I would have liked to spend it, I've enjoyed our time together over the last couple of days." I whispered, hugging the urn to me as I turned to face the water again. "We spent time with Zack in New York and Aisha in Texas. We've travelled so much this last few weeks that I'm so tired. But I promised you that we'd spend the time together and we did."

It's not an easy thing when someone tells you that your wife is sick. It's an even harder thing when they tell you she only has a couple more months to live. Kim was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer a couple days after her sixty fifth birthday. When the doctor gave us the last blow, she knew right away what it meant. She also knew that it was her choice on what to do. She opted to live the rest of her days without the pain and suffering of chemo or treatments. She wanted to be able to enjoy the rest of her time here in this world with her loved ones. With me. And she did. She survived another six months after her diagnosis. In that time, we managed to travel the country, visiting all of our friends. We spent time with the kids, helping them get over the shock of what would happen. Kim was able to see our grandson, David, and spend time with the sweet one year old baby.

I spent every moment I could with her, not wanting to waste any of them. I wouldn't allow my mind to consider that she wouldn't be here anymore soon and that I needed to absorb as much of her as I could in our short time together. We held hands every day, kissed throughout the day, and spent each night together in our bed. As she grew sicker, I spent my days at her side in the hospital bed we had sent to the house. She passed early one morning, with me by her side and holding her hand. Like the first time I met her, she wore that brilliant smile of hers as she left.

"It's been a rough five years without you. I can still hear your laugh when I close my eyes, see your smile, and smell that vanilla shampoo you loved so much. I talked with the kids about my decision today. They agreed with me. They know you would want to be somewhere special to you and to me. There's nowhere else I could think of for you to be than right here where so many of our memories were." Tears filled my eyes as I reached up and rested a hand on the lid of the urn. "If I do this, you've got to promise me that you'll never leave my heart, Beautiful. That you'll forever be with me until I can see you in person again." Another gust of wind brought more petals, giving me a sense that she was trying to tell me something. "Thank you." I whispered. I unscrewed the lid and stepped forwards. My hand shook slightly as I held it out. Tilting it, the ashes began to pour from inside. THe wind picked up again, taking the remains into the air with them. It scattered them across the surface of the water and then sent it into a swirl with the petals in the air. I didn't stop until the vessel was empty, pulling it back into my chest and placing the lid back on it.

When I think of Kim, I don't think of her ashes in this tube. I think of her as the vibrate girl who could do cartwheels and backflips around anyone. The girl who was brave enough to stand up for herself but willing to let me stroke my ego when I needed it. Kim, the girl who had left me but came back in time to save me from making a stupid decision. I bent over and picked up the flowers, tossing them into the water. They floated, separating as the one holding them together untying slightly.

Kimbelry, I'll forever remember you young.

_And no matter how much time goes by_

_I hope we never have to grow up_

_We'll say for worse or for better, from now 'til forever_

_I'll always remember you young_

_Whoa-oh-oh, oh_

_I'll always remember you young_


End file.
